I  JC 


DEI 


C-      A.      GLOVER, 

p  A c  i  F  i  c   OR r- v r , 

'   A  L  I  F  <    R  N 


STYLE-BOOK    Oi 
BUSINESS    ENGLISH 

FOR    HIGH    SCHOOLS,    BUSINESS 

COURSES,    REGENTS'    AND    TEACHERS' 

EXAMINATIONS,    ETC. 


BY 


H.    W.    HAMMOND 

4* 

INSTRUCTOR  OF  SHORTHAND  AND  TYPEWRITING,  TEACHERS*  COLLEGE, 
COLUMBIA    UNIVERSITY,    1909-1911 


AND 


MAX   J.    HERZBERG 

HEAD    OF    THE    ENGLISH    DEPARTMENT,    CENTRAL    COMMERCIAL    AND 
MANUAL    TRAINING    HIGH    SCHOOL,    NEWARK,    NJ. 


SIXTH   REVISED    EDITION 


NEW   YORK 

ISAAC  PITMAN   &    SONS,  PUBLISHERS, 
2  WEST  45TH  STREET 

AND    AT    LONDON,   BATH    AND    MELBOURNE 


TORONTO,  CANADA 
The  Commercial  Text-Book  Co. 

OR 

The  Copp,  Clark  Co.,  Limited 
1914 


^»  ( 


EDUCATION  DEFJ 


PREFACE 

THIS  text,  which  for  a  number  of  years  has  successfully  met  the 
need  of  a  manual  of  business  English  in  a  great  many  schools 
throughout  the  country,  has  now  been  revised  so  as  to  adapt 
it  even  more  closely  to  existing  conditions.  It  has  been  the  design 
of  the  authors  to  fit  it  particularly  for  use  in  the  commercial  courses 
of  high  schools.  But,  as  in  the  past,  it  will  be  found  well  suited 
for  use  in  business  colleges,  in  the  business  courses  of 
colleges  and  universities,  and  in  the  general  and  academic  courses 
of  high  schools.  It  may  be  noted,  with  reference  to  the  last  group, 
that  more  and  more  educators  are  coming  to  realize  the  importance 
of  a  knowledge  of  business  English  for  every  type  of  student. 
The  lawyer  and  the  doctor,  the  clergyman  and  the  engineer  must 
write  business  letters,  as  well  as  the  manufacturer,  the  stenographer, 
and  the  corresponding  clerk.  Finally,  students  preparing  for 
Regents'  Examinations  in  Business  English  will  find  this  book 
of  more  than  ordinary  helpfulness. 

There  is  no  feature  of  the  present  volume  which  has  not  been 
successfully  employed  in  an  actual  school.  Among  the  special 
features  of  the  Sixth  Edition  may  be  mentioned  the  more  logical 
arrangement,  the  insertion  of  review  questions  and  exercises  for 
every  chapter,  and  the  more  complete  treatment.  In  every  instance, 
the  usage  indicated  has  been  based  on  actual  correspondence, 
but  the  material  has  been  so  arranged  as  to  be  pedagogically  most 
effective. 

The  authors  will  be  grateful  for  suggestions  of  every  character, 
and  will  be  glad  to  answer  all  inquiries  on  the  style,  the  teaching, 
and  the  matter  of  this  text 

May,   1914. 


5  4  *".'(>  6 


CONTENTS 

PAGE" 

PREFACE iii 

INTRODUCTION  :    Practical  Value  of  Business  English — How 

to  Use  the  Style-Book            ....  ix 

CHAPTER   I 

SOME  GENERAL  DIRECTIONS       ......  1 

The  order  of  items  in  a  letter        .....  1 

Brevity  in  sentences     ..... 

Review  questions          .......  5 

Exercises               .......  5 

CHAPTER   II 

SOME  MATTERS  OF  FORM           .....  6 

The  seven  parts  of  a  letter  ......  6 

Addresses  of  officials,  the  clergy,  etc.      .          .          .          .15 

Folding  and  inserting  the  letter-sheet   ....  24 

Review  questions          .......  25 

Exercises               ........  26 

CHAPTER   III 

SOME  MATTERS  OF  FORM  (continued)  .         .         .         .28 

Punctuation — capitalization — the     possessive     case — con- 
tractions—figures and  signs — proof-reading           .          .  28 
Review  questions          .......  39 

Exercises               .          .          .          .          .          .  42 

CHAPTER   IV 

SOCIAL  AND  FRIENDLY  LETTERS         .....  43 

Social  correspondence            ......  43 

Formal  and  informal  writings        .....  47 

Letters  of  condolence,  congratulation,  and  introduction.  48 

Review  questions          .......  52 

Exercises               ........  53 

CHAPTER   V 

THE  CHOICE  OF  WORDS  IN  LETTERS           ....  55 

The  use  of  plain  Anglo-Saxon  terms       ....  56 

Latin  and  Greek  words  used  in  business         ...  58 
Review  questions          .          .          .          .          .          .          .61 

Exercises  62 


VI  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER   VI 

LETTERS  OF  APPLICATION  ......  68 

How  to  get  a  situation         ......  69 

Value  of  correspondence  demonstrated  ....  73 

Appearance  as  a  factor         ......  78 

Review  questions          .......  82 

Exercises  ........  84 

CHAPTER  VII 

LETTERS  OFFERING  BUSINESS  .         .  .         .87 

Business  propositions  .          .          .          .          .          .87 

Letters  as  contracts — importance  of  accuracy         .          .       93 
Letters  asking  credit  ......       95 

Review  questions          %         .          .          .          .          .          .95 

Exercises  .   '      .          .          .          .          .          .          .       96 

CHAPTER   VIII 

LETTERS  OF  INQUIRY        .  100 

Use  of  the  broken  paragraph — the  broken  sentence — the 
sectional  paragraph  .          .          .          .          .          .102 

Spelling — the  division  of  words  at  the  end  of  lines.          .     107 
Review  questions          .  .          .          .          .          .112 

Exercises  ..*.          .          .          .          .          .114 

CHAPTER   IX 

LETTERS  ORDERING  GOODS — REMITTANCES          .  .         .117 

Contractual  nature  of  letters  ordering  goods.  .          .      119 

The  use  of  the  paragraph  in  itemizing.          .  .          .122 

The  five"  kinds  of  remittances         .          .          .  .          .122 

Review  questions          .          .          .          .          .  .          .124 

Exercises  .         .         .         .         .         .  118,  125,  127 

CHAPTER  X 

LETTERS  OF  COMPLAINT  .         .         .         .         .         .129 

Politeness  in  letters  129 

Review  questions          .          .          .          .          .          .          .135 

Exercises     .........     135 

CHAPTER  XI 

LETTERS  TO  DEBTORS        .         .         .         .         .         .         .138 

The  four  classes  of  debtors    .          .          .          .          .          .138 

Collection  of  accounts  .          .          .          .          .          .144 

Review  questions          .......      147 

Exercises  .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .     147 


CONTENTS  Vll 

CHAPTER  XII 

CIRCULAR  OR  FORM-LETTERS — MISCELLANEOUS  LETTERS      .     150 
Function  of  form  letters        .          .          .          .          .          .150 

Letters  of  resignation  and  recommendation     .          .          .154 
Review  questions          .         .         .         .          .          .          .155 

Exercises  155 

CHAPTER   XIII 

TESTING  YOURSELF:    How  TO  SECURE  A  PERFECT  LETTER.     157 

Twenty-five  tests  for  any  letter      .          .  .  .  .157 

A  diagram  to  test  any  letter         .          .  .  .  .158 

Advice  to  stenographers        .          .          .  .  .  .159 

Review  questions  on  typewriting  style  .  .  .  .160 

General  review  questions                 .          .  .  .  .162 

Exercise  to  test  knowledge  of  typewriting  .  .  .     163 

CHAPTER  XIV 

GENERAL  REVIEW  OF  CORRESPONDENCE  .  .  .  .164 
Questions  on  correspondence  .  .  .  .  .164 
Questions  on  commercial  terms,  etc.  ....  165 
Review  exercises  and  narratives  in  correspondence.  .  165 
A  Regents'  Examination  in  Business  English.  .  .  168 

CHAPTER   XV 

DUTIES  OF  A  PRIVATE  SECRETARY  .         .         .         .172 

Summary  of  secretary's  duties  .....     173 

Secretary's  narrative              .  .          .          .          .          .176 

Review  questions          .          .  .  •                 .          .          .177 

CHAPTER   XVI 

SOME  HINTS  ON  THE  POST  OFFICE  SERVICE       .         .         .178 

Postal  points 179 

Postal  information        .......     180 

Review  questions          .......     182 

CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  TELEGRAPH  SERVICE — TELEGRAMS,  CABLEGRAMS,  MAR- 

CONIGRAMS  183 

General  hints  for  telegrams  and  cablegrams     .          .          .183 
Wireless  telegraphy      .......     185 

Review  questions          .......     186 

Exercises  186 


Viii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XVIII 

FILING  AND  INDEXING 188 

Introduction         .         .          .          .          .          .         .          .189 

Record-keeping  and  record-filing  systems       .          .          .191 
The  card-system — sizes  of  cards,  index-guides,  trays  and 

cabinets 193 

The  card-system  in  operation         .          .          .          .          .201 

Indexing  cards  alphabetically        .....  203 

The  card-system — follow-up  . .          .          .          .  205 

Record-filing — the   vertical    system,    alphabetical    folders 
and  guides,  indexing  by  states  and  towns,  numerical 
indexing,  indexing  by  subject,  Shannon  and  loose-sheet 

systems  ........  207 

Filing-systems — the  receptacle        .....  220 

Card-system  narrative  ......  222 

CHAPTER  XIX 

APPENDIX         .........  228 

Review  questions          .         .         .         .         .         .         .  228 

1  Abbreviations  of  commercial  terms,  etc..  .      -  .  230 

2  Words  with  troublesome  endings      ....  236 

3  Glossary  of  words  and  phrases  used  in  business,  with 

illustrations 239 

INDEX  251 


INTRODUCTION 

IT  is  a  common  error,  prevailing  among  many  otherwise  intelligent 
persons,  that  a  knowledge  of  the  forms  of  English  used  in  the 
transaction  of  business  (what  is  commonly  known  as  "  business 
English  ")  is  necessary  only  to  those  who  intend  to  enter  a  com- 
mercial life.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  every  successful  person,  in 
whatever  walk  of  life,  is  successful  largely  because  of  the  possession 
of  certain  business  qualities.  This  is  true  alike  of  the  poet  and 
the  lawyer,  of  the  architect  and  the  physician.  Foremost  among 
such  business  qualities  should  be  reckoned  the  ability  to  compose 
a  smooth,  correct  letter,  to  express  one's  ideas  in  commercial 
matters  with  accuracy  and  clearness,  and  to  grasp  the  ordinary 
details  of  office  organization.  Such  knowledge  is  indispensable 
for  a  clerk  and  a  stenographer  and  for  business  men  in  general  ; 
but  it  is  probably  almost  as  important  that  the  average  person 
have  command  of  similar  ability. 

The  matter  of  this  volume  may  be  divided  into  two  parts.  In 
the  first  place,  the  student  will  find  herein  certain  facts.  These 
facts  relate  chiefly  to  the  forms  that  correspondence  takes.  In 
the  second  place,  practice  is  given  in  actual  writing,  this  writing 
being  of  numerous  varieties.  In  addition,  there  have  been  gathered 
in  this  volume,  for  the  sake  of  convenience,  a  great  many  details 
that  must  prove  of  much  assistance  to  the  person  unacquainted 
with  the  methods  of  office  organization  and  with  the  minutiae 
of  the  postal  and  telegraph  systems. 

Pupils,  as  a  rule,  and  oftentimes  teachers,  underrate  the  value 
of  style  in  business  writing.  The  thousand  points  on  displaying 
of  the  letter  on  the  page,  spacing,  proper  titles,  salutations, 
complimentary  closes,  punctuation,  capitalization,  compounding, 
abbreviations,  use  of  accents,  distinguishing  between  Anglicized, 
partly  Anglicized,  and  un-Anglicized  foreign  terms,  selection  of 
words,  spelling,  sentence  construction,  paragraphing,  grammar, 
etc.,  are  of  vital  importance  ;  in  fact,  the  knowledge  of  this  con- 
stitutes the  difference  between  an  experienced  and  an  unexperienced 
business  writer.  Inability  may  be  concealed  by  resorting  to  the 


X  INTRODUCTION 

dictionary,  but  weakness  in  style  is  always  apparent.  This  is 
fully  as  important  as  spelling ;  it  is,  in  fact,  what  may  be  called 
"  higher  spelling,"  a  "  knowledge  of  form."  Grammar  excepted, 
"  bad  form  "  is  the  worst  of  errors. 

Into  the  Style-Book  has  been  put  only  such  information  as  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  the  beginner.  If  he  fails  to  qualify  in  this 
and  goes  out  unable  to  display  the  language  in  proper  business- 
English  style  he  is  certain  to  join  the  great  army  of  the  underpaid 
or  the  unemployed.  It  is  to  avoid  this  fate  that  the  Style-Book 
was  written  ;  its  source  was  the  errors  in  the  papers  of  5,000  pupils 
qualifying  for  a  commercial  career.  It  has  been  found  that 
graduates  in  commercial  schools  where  business  English  is  not 
taught  have  but  a  forty-per-cent.  knowledge  of  the  information 
in  the  Style-Book,  yet  it  contains  not  one  single  dispensable  item. 

That  the  method  of  this  text  may  be  made  clearer,  the  various 
divisions  of  this  method  may  be  briefly  described.  The  actual 
text  considers,  from  the  standpoint  of  actual  business  practice, 
present-day  usage  on  the  topic  under  discussion.  This  usage  is 
further  illustrated  by  the  citation  of  actual  letters.  The  student's 
mastery  of  this  usage  is  tested  in  three  ways — by  test-letters,  which 
the  student  is  asked  to  correct ;  by  exercises  calling  for  the  writing 
of  letters  by  the  student  ;  and  by  frequent  review  and  test  questions 
that  bring  into  play  the  student's  comprehension  of  the  entire 
drill.  Emphasis  is  laid  on  the  matters  most  important  to  the 
student,  from  a  practical  viewpoint.  Although  the  terms  "  letters  " 
and  "  correspondence "  have  been  employed  throughout  this 
Introduction,  it  should  be  understood  that  other  forms  of  business 
writing  are  also  included  in  the  survey  that  "  The  Style-Book  of 
Business  English  "  makes.  Also,  an  account  is  given  of  methods 
of  filing,  of  the  rules  of  the  postal  and  telegraph  systems,  etc. 
Finally,  some  hints  are  given  with  respect  to  social  notes  and 
letters  to  friends. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF 
BUSINESS     ENGLISH 


CHAPTER   I 
SOME    GENERAL    DIRECTIONS 

To  BEGIN  with,  a  few  general  directions  may  be  given  that  apply 
to  all  kinds  of  writing,  to  business  English  in  particular,  and 
especially  to  the  style  used  in  correspondence.  All  good  writing 
is  individual — straight  from  the  person.  Any  kind  of  writing, 
whether  it  be  a  poem  or  a  letter,  which  has  a  touch  of  individuality 
in  it,  is  a  striking  letter  ;  and  generally  speaking,  a  striking  letter 
is  a  successful  letter.  That  is,  it  helps  to  secure  what  the  writer 
seeks — new  business,  money  that  is  owing,  a  position,  or  information. 
If  your  letter  resembles  the  letters  of  hundreds  of  others,  it  will  not 
secure  attention.  You  must  make  your  reader  feel  that  you  are 
different,  probably  better.  To  this  rule,  that  writing  must  be 
individual,  practically  all  other  rules  yield  place.  To  secure 
this  difference,  however,  this  individuality,  a  certain  alertness 
and  aliveness  are  necessary.  No  one  can  write  a  good  letter  or 
hold  a  good  "  job  "  who  does  not  possess  these  qualities. 

Then  one  should  cultivate  habits  of  accuracy  and  correctness, 
together  with  certain  allied  traits.  When  one  says  that  such  and 
such  a  person  is  "  business-like,"  one  means  that  he  comes  straight 
to  the  point,  that  he  is  punctual,  that  he  cultivates  exactness, 
that  he  has  a  command  of  important  facts,  and  so  on.  All  these 
qualities  are  of  vital  importance  in  business  correspondence  and 
in  a  business  office.  In  social  notes  they  are  perhaps  equally 
important,  although  not  so  evident.  Only  in  correspondence 
between  intimate  friends  may  they  be  more  or  less  neglected. 
Sometimes,  however,  this  neglect  is  carried  too  far. 

Some  special  points  may  now  be  considered. 

The  first  paragraph  of  a  business  letter  should  contain  a  summary 
of  the  letter  to  be  answered,  and  the  subsequent  paragraphs  should 
deal  with  the  various  items  in  the  order  of  their  importance,  the 
unimportant  parts  coming  last.  In  reading  a  letter  to  be  answered 

1 


•2» :•..'"::..:  .'•STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH 


one's  best  attention  is  generally  given  to  the  opening  of  the  letter, 
the  following  parts  receiving  less  and  less,  especially  if  the  matter  be 
not  of  considerable  importance  ;  therefore,  the  more  important 
should  precede  the  less.  In  case  of  interruption  or  haste  on  the 
reader's  part  it  is  better  to  have  the  greatest  effort  of  attention 
expended  on  the  first  and  more  essential  parts.  Besides,  some 
business  men  prefer  that  one  subject  only  be  treated  in  a  letter, 
as  it  renders  future  reference  to  the  subject  much  easier.  Many 
business  houses  file  their  letters  under  the  index  of  subject  of  the 
letter ;  as,  "  Complaints,"  "  Specifications,"  etc.  This  alone 
renders  it  unadvisable  to  treat  different  subjects  in  the  same  letter. 

To  insure  prompt  consideration  and  earliest  reply  to  important 
points  arrange  the  paragraphs  in  the  order  of  merit. 

The  accurate  correspondent  answers  the  subjects  of  the  letter 
according  to  merit  regardless  of  their  order  in  the  original  letter. 
This  straightens  out  faulty  correspondence  and  renders  future 
letters  easier  to  handle. 

Do  not  inform  a  correspondent  of  the  receipt  of  his  letter.  The 
fact  that  your  answer  contains  a  summary  of  his  and  a  reference 
to  the  date  of  reception  is  sufficient.  (See  page  3.) 

Avoid  the  use  of  worn-out  and  meaningless  words. 

When  reference  is  made  to  the  reception  of  the  letter  an  indirect 
manner  is  better  than  the  senseless  phrases  : 

I  am  in  receipt  of 

Yours  at  hand 

I  beg  to  acknowledge 

I  saw  your  ad.  in  the  Times 

Compare : 

We  beg  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter 

We  have  your  letter — — 
and  the  time  lost  in  useless  phraseology  will  be  seen  to  be  important. 

The  letter  on  the  opposite  page  illustrates  this  indirect  style. 

What  do  the  dots  underneath  "  additional  "  indicate  ? 

In  letters,  the  length  of  the  sentence  should  never  be  absent 
from  the  mind,  as  the  primary  objects  are  to  hold  attention  and  to 
persuade  busy  people.  It  is  well  to  assume  that  every  one  is  busy 
and  has  a  hundred  letters  of  his  own  to  compose,  with  time  for  a 


STYLE-BOOK   OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH//-  ',  ;  $ 

CARTWRIGHT   &    HENDERSON 

GENERAL  CONTRACTORS 

291  Huron  St. 

Boston,  Mass.,  January  2.   1909. 

Messrs.  Allen  &  Sons, 
199  Washington  St., 
Boston,  Mass. 

Re  Boston  Building 
Gentlemen  : 

The  matter  of  the  iron  beams  for  the  Boston  Mfg.  Co.'s 
Building,  to  which  objection  has  been  made  on  account  of  alleged 
defects,  and   the  proposal  to  replace  them  with  Al   material,  as 
mentioned  in  your  letter  of  January  1,  are  receiving  careful  attention. 

Your  postscript,  calling  our  attention  to  the  fact  that 
ail  employees  engaged  in  the  construction  of  the  building  must  be 
strictly  union,  with  wages  at  25  cents  an  hour,  minimum,  has  been 
referred  to  our  counsel  for  advice,  as  the  contract  does  not, 
according  to  our  understanding,  provide  for  this.     As   $3,000,- 
000  is  involved  in  this  contract,  you  will  see  that  a  great  sum  is 
in  dispute. 

It  would  oblige  us  if  you  would  put  an    additional 
inspector  on  this  job  to  pass  on  the  work  while  it  is  being  done,  as 
it  was  understood  on  our  part  from  the  beginning  that  you  would 
do  so.     Consequently,  we  are  not  inclined  to  admit  our  responsibility 
for  faulty  construction  when  discovered  too  late  to  be  changed 
without  expense  to  us. 

Yours  truly. 


Observe  that  the  first  and  the  second  paragraphs  contain  two  special  points  : 

1.  A  summary  of  the  letter  to  be  answered. 

2.  An  indirect  reference  to  its  reception. 

3.  Do  not  use  postscript  or  N.  B.  paragraphs.     If  you  wish  to  place  special 
emphasis  on  certain  words,  underscore  in  black  or  red  or  write  in  red. 


STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH 


passing  glance  only  at  those  of  others.  The  shorter  the  letter,  as 
a  rule,  the  more  attention  it  receives.  Thus  one  firm,  which 
conducts  a  very  large  correspondence,  writes :  "  We  have  noticed 
that  the  short,  to-the-point  letter,  with  short  sentences,  and  above 
all  things,  direct,  is  the  one  that  wins." 

The  degrees  of  comparison  should  be  toward  short,  shorter, 
and  shortest,  rather  than  toward  long,  longer,  and  longest.  A  good 
.rule  is  that  one  idea  only,  with  its  necessary  modifiers,  is  sufficient 
to  make  a  sentence.  The  making  of  unnecessary  compound 
sentences  by  joining  two  sentences  with  "  and  "  should  be  avoided. 
A  short  sentence  should  have  about  ten  words,  a  long  one,  twenty — 
that  is,  one  line  and  two  lines.  Where  possible  a  sentence  should 
end  with  the  line,  as  it  economizes  attention  and  facilitates  the 
reading  of  two  or  more  lines  simultaneously.  Several  properly 
worded  sentences,  each  beginning  the  line  and  thus  coming  within 
easy  range  of  the  quick-reading  eye,  may  be  read  rapidly,  thoroughly, 
and  almost  at  once.  Let  a  long  sentence  be  followed  by  one  or 
two  shorter  ones  in  order  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  composition 
and  to  rest  the  mind.  Where  a  complicated  thought  is  to  be 
expressed  an  appearance  of  brevity  should  be  given  to  it  by  a 
careful  selection  of  short  words.  Short  sentences  and  small  words 
are  always  preferable  in  letters  to  people  unaccustomed  to  ex- 
tensive reading.  There  should  be  no  sign,  however,  of  restrained 
effort,  lest  it  be  discovered  and  the  person  offended.  Similarly,  the 
wording  of  letters  to  well-educated,  non-commercial  people  should 
tend  toward  longer  sentences  and  literary  excellence.  Composition 
and  profit  are  convertible  terms,  provided  one  has  the  capacity 
to  turn  ideas  at  will  into  simple,  complex,  or  compound  formation. 

A  good  way  to  acquire  the  art  of  writing  concise  sentences  of 
moderate  length  is  to  write  out  the  whole  thought  without  restraint. 
Then  omit  all  words  not  necessary  to  make  the  points  clear  and 
decisive.  A  few  days'  practise  will  produce  great  facility,  which, 
in  a  few  weeks,  will  become  habitual. 

In  the  way  of  summary,  it  may  be  noted  that  the  good  letter 
requires  attention  at  all  points — the  material  to  be  included,  the 
style  as  a  whole,  the  paragraphing,  the  construction  of  sentences, 
and  the  actual  wording.  The  price  of  success  is  constant  vigilance. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Review  Questions  for  Chapter  I 

1  If  a  letter  contains  several  items  of  varying  importance, 
which  one  comes  first  in  answering  ? 

2  Why  do  business  houses  request  that  only  one  subject  be 
treated  in  a  single  letter  ? 

3  If   there    is    more  than  one  subject  in  the  letter  can  the 
letter  be  filed  according  to  subject  ? 

4  Do   you   bluntly   inform   a   correspondent   that   you   have 
received  his  letter  ? 

5  How  do  you  accomplish  this  purpose  indirectly  ? 

6  Define  and  illustrate  "  indirect  reference." 

7  Besides  conveying  a  thought,  what  other  purpose  should 
you  have  in  mind  when  building  a  sentence  ? 

8  Why  is  a  short,  clear  sentence  preferable  to  a  long  rambling 
one  connected  by  "  and's  "  and  "  but's  "  ? 

9  Why  is  the  following  not  a  good  compound  sentence  ? 

The  stars  shone  brightly  yesterday,  and  desks  have 
movable  tops  these  days,  but  corn  steadily  increases  in 
value. 

10  What  is  a  good  rule  for  limiting  the  length  of  the  sentence  ? 

11  About  how  many  words  should  a  sentence  have  ? 

12  Where  in  the  line  is  it  best  to  have  the  sentence  end  ? 

13  What  is  meant  by  "  economy  of  the  reader's  attention  "  ? 

14  How  would  you  vary  the  monotony  of  too  many  short 
sentences  ? 

15  How  should  "  $3000000  "  be  punctuated  and  divided  like 
a  long   word   at   the  end   of    a   line?      [Note:    Figures  should, 
however,  as  a  rule  not  be  divided.] 

16  How  is  "  twenty-five  cents  "  written  in  figures  ? 

17  What  does  a  line  of  dots  mean  under  words  ? 

18  What  is  the  difference  in  composition  between  a  sentence 
and  a  paragraph  ?     What  does  1]  mean  ? 

19  What  sentences  do  not  end  with  a  period  ? 

20  What  is  the  rule  regarding  postscripts  ? 

Exercises 

1  Write  a  letter  to    a  friend  in  your  class  giving  him  some 
"  pointers  "  on  letter- writing.     Tell  him  what  the  possible  value 
may  be  to  him  of  being  able  to  write  a  good,  telling  letter.     Try 
to  observe  the  principles  of  good  paragraphing. 

2  It  is  supposed  that  pupils  have  written  letters  to  one  another 
in  accordance  with  above  directions.     Let  each  pupil  answer  the 
letter  he  has  received,  add  any  hints  not  contained  in  the  letter  to 
him,  and  perhaps  point  out  some  defects  he  has  noticed  in  this 
letter. 


CHAPTER  II 
SOME    MATTERS    OF    FORM 

IF  every  correspondent  would  only  remember  the  fact  that  any 
letter  he  sends  goes  forth  to  the  world  is  his  personal  representative, 
more  care  would  be  exercised  in  the  matter  of  appearance.  Most 
people  realize  the  importance  of  personal  appearance  as  a  factor 
in  intercourse  among  men.  A  neat,  attractive  appearance  is 
an  advantage  ;  a  careless,  slovenly  exterior  repels  immediately. 
Letters  have  exactly  similar  effects.  A  neat,  attractive  note 
persuades  the  man  who  receives  it  in  the  writer's  favor,  whereas 
a  careless,  slovenly  letter  is  usually  confided  at  once  to  the  tender 
attentions  of  the  waste-basket.  Smudges,  hasty  penmanship 
or  inaccurate  typing,  note-paper  disfigured  with  awkward  creases, 
mistakes  in  the  forms  of  salutation  or  close,  poor  spacing  of  the 
items  of  the  address,  and  the  like,  all  win  disfavor.  One  should 
cultivate  habits  of  correct  usage,  in  these  particulars,  right  from 
the  beginning.  None  of  the  forms  proper  in  correspondence  are 
difficult  to  learn,  and  once  learned  any  deviation  will  seem  very 
distasteful.  Acquire  the  habit. 

Generally  speaking,  every  letter  contains  the  following  seven  parts  : 

1  The  Date-line 

2  The  Introductory  Address 

3  The  Salutation 

4  The  Body 

5  The  Complimentary  Close 

6  The  Signature 

7  The  Superscription 

We  may  now  analyze  these  parts  in  detail. 

A.     The  Date-line 

Pupils  have  great  difficulty  in  memorizing  the  correct  way  to 
punctuate  the  date-line.  Every  full  date-line  has  four  parts — 
1.  The  city  or  town.  2.  The  State.  3.  The  month  and  its  date. 
4.  The  year.  Attention  may  be  called  to  the  full  meaning  of  a 
date-line  ;  as,  In  the  City  of  New  York,  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
on  the  19th  of  May,  in  the  year  1913.  In  the  reduction  to  modern 

6 


STYLE-BOOK    OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Form  for  Business  Letter 


DATE-LINE 


TITLE    AND   NAME 


INTRODUCTORY    ADDRESS 
CITY  AND  STATE 

SALUTATION 

BODY   OF   LETTER 

COMPLIMENTARY   CLOSE 
SIGNATURE 

2— (400) 


8  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 

form  the  connecting  words  were  omitted  and  commas  inserted 
instead,  thus  :  New  York,  N.  Y.,  May  19,  1913.  Break  up  the 
habit  of  treating  "  10th,"  "  2d,"  etc.,  as  abbreviations  and  writing 
them  as  "  10th.,"  "  2d.,"  etc.  Note  that  the  composition  of  these 
words  is  in  a  mixed  style  of  Arabic  figures  and  Roman  letters. 
They  are  mixed  forms,  not  abbreviations.  The  punctuation  of 
this  date  line  varies,  as  well  as  the  division  by  lines.  Some 
punctuate  and  divide  as  follows : 

20  Dunbar  Street, 
New  York,  N.  Y., 
May  19,  1913. 

Others  again  place  all  those  facts  on  two  lines,  in  that  case  inserting 
a  semicolon  after  N.  Y.  So  far  as  the  punctuation  in  general  is 
concerned,  there  has  been  within  recent  years  a  distinct  movement 
away  from  what  is  called  "  close  punctuation  "  towards  what 
is  called  "  open  punctuation."  In  the  latter  system  no  punctuation 
is  placed  at  the  ends  of  lines,  except  for  abbreviations.  Thus  the 
item  would  read : 

20  Dunbar  Street 

New  York,  N.  Y. 
May  19,  1913 

There  is  even  a  tendency  not  to  use  any  marks  at  all,  as  on  the 
title-page  of  a  book.  A  few  firms  call  attention  to  their  letters 
by  a  peculiarity  in  the  date-line.  Thus  one  famous  corporation 
makes  the  date  beneath  the  letter-head  read  : 

October  tenth 
Nineteen  hundred 

and  thirteen 

B.    Introductory  Address,  Salutation,  and  Superscription 

For  purposes  of  convenience,  these  three  items  may  be  studied 
together.  The  Introduction  and  the  Address  on  the  envelope 
(Superscription)  are  as  a  rule  exactly  the  same.  Generally 
either  two  or  three  items  appear — the  name  of  the  person 
addressed,  the  street  and  street-number  of  his  residence,  and  the, 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Form  for  Official  or  Social  Letter 


HEADING 


SALUTATION 


BODY   OF  LETTER 


COMPLIMENTARY   CLOSE 


SIGNATURE 


NAME 


ADDRESS 


10 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


EDISON  ELECTRIC  Co. 
NEW  YORK 


Mr.  Jas.  A.  Miller, 

726  Jamestown  Ave., 

Washington,  D.  C. 


Chas.  Beardsley, 

Lakeview  City, 

Minnesota. 


Wabash  Co. 


If  uncal 
W.  H. 


Hon.  C.  A.  Andrews, 

Pres.  National  Bank, 

Topeka,  Kansas. 


Introducing 

Mr.  F.  A.  Heine. 


C.  F.  Youngsterling, 

Charlestown, 

Iowa. 


The  Brown  Co. 


The  first  line  of  the  superscription  should  be  centered  on  the  envelope. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


11 


Illustrating  the  Spacing  of  a  Short,   and  a  Long, 
Name-line 


CO 

fc 

O 

CO 


W     .2 


CD 


CT) 


CO 
CD 


§ 

0 

D 

K 

£ 

^ 

8 


w 

PH 

H-l 

W 
Q 


W 

PH 


cd 

1 

<L> 
T3 
03 

PL, 


S 


Chestnu 


(^ 

O 


W 


W 
H 


12  STYLE-BOOK   OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

place  and  state  in  which  he  lives.  Sometimes  other  items  must 
be  added — the  county,  the  name  of  a  foreign  land,  the  name  of 
a  firm.  The  placing  of  all  the  items  should  be  determined  largely 
by  the  number  of  items  and  by  the  principles  of  artistic  spacing. 
The  rules  of  punctuation  are  the  same  as  for  the  date-line — either 
open  or  close. 

The  Salutation  of  a  letter  is  a  dignified  written  substitute  for  the 
"  How  do  you  do  ?  "  with  which  we  greet  a  man  in  conversation. 
There  is  no  excuse  for  omitting  it,  or  for  omitting  the  complimentary 
close,  which  is  like  "  Good  day  "  in  conversation.  The  forms  of 
salutation  are  more  definitely  illustrated  later.  It  may  now  be 
noted  that  the  Salutation  in  addressing  an  imaginary  John  Smith 
varies  in  formality  in  the  following  order  : 

1  Sir  :  5    Dear  Mr.  Smith  : 

2  My  dear  Sir  :  6    My  dear  Smith  : 

3  Dear  Sir  :  7     Dear  Smith  : 

4  My  dear  Mr.  Smith  :  8    Dear  John  :     etc. 

In  punctuating  the  Salutation  only  one  form  may  be  employed 
in  a  business  letter — the  customary  colon.  Attention  is  called 
to  the  fact  that  it  is  not  possible  to  use  two  punctuation  points 
for  the  same  purpose  ;  therefore,  a  dash  or  a  hyphen  should  not 
be  used  after  the  colon.  The  comma  and  dash  are  never  used 
except  occasionally  in  social  letters.  Inasmuch  as  a  dash  after  a 
colon  can  have  no  use  as  a  punctuation  point  it  must,  therefore,  be 
used  as  an  ornament.  Now,  if  ornaments  are  used  in  punctuation, 
why  not  use  other  points  equally  or  more  ornamental,  such  as  a 
star,  a  dagger,  an  index-point,  etc.  ?  Be  consistent,  and  omit 
the  dash  after  the  colon. 

The  use  of  the  proper  form  of  Salutation  is  a  question  that 
should  receive  due  consideration  in  the  writing  of  every  letter 
No  man  likes  to  be  called  "  out  of  "  his  name  or  his  title,  or,  by  the 
way,  to  have  his  name  misspelled.  It  is  a  requisite  both  of  courtesy 
and  good  business  to  be  accurate  in  such  matters.  The  salutation 
to  be  used  for  several  women,  single  or  married,  is  "  Mesdames." 
The  necessity  of  the  French  word  springs  from  the  fact  that  there 
is  no  equivalent  word  in  the  English  language.  In  the  English 
language  there  is  no  plural  for  the  word  "  Madam."  Take  notice 
that  although  one  may  say  "  Dear  Madam  "  it  is  not  proper  to 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS  ENGLISH  13 


use  the  word  "  Dear "  before  "  Mesdames."  Thus,  singular 
"  Dear  Madam,"  plural  "  Mesdames."  The  salutation  for  a  girl 

is   "  Dear   Miss ,"   although   "  Dear  Madam  "   is   frequently 

used.     The  better  form  is   "  Dear  Miss  ."     The  custom  of 

negligent  women  of  not  indicating  sex  and  social  status  by  correct 
signatures  causes  untold  embarrassment  to  business  houses.  To 
overcome  this  difficulty  it  was  formerly  customary  to  place  (Miss) 
or  (Mrs.)  before  the  name  in  the  introduction  according  to  one's 
judgment  in  the  case.  It  is  preferred  now  by  many  business  houses 
to  take  the  chance  of  being  correct  in  the  choice  of  title  and  to  omit 
the  parentheses.  Titles  and  salutations  in  mixed  addresses,  that  is, 
when  the  firm  is  composed  of  men  and  women,  are  to  be  treated  as 
masculine.  If  the  firm  be  composed  of  ten  women  and  one  man 
the  title  is  "  Messrs."  and  the  salutation  always  "  Gentlemen  "  or 
"  Dear  Sirs."  Also  in  case  the  firm  be  composed  all  of  women  it  is 
perfectly  proper  to  use  the  masculine  title  of  "  Messrs."  and  mas- 
culine salutation,  "  Gentlemen."  This  theory  rests  on  the  fact 
that  in  the  grammar  of  the  English  language  the  masculine  includes 
the  feminine.  Notice  in  the  expression,  "  If  any  one  wishes  to 
leave  the  room  let  him  raise  his  hand."  Although  there  may  be 
fifty  girls  in  the  room  and  one  boy  there  is  no  other  form  that  should 
be  used.  The  masculine  pronoun  always  includes  the  feminine.  If 
it  were  said,  "  If  any  one  wishes  to  leave  the  room  let  her  raise 
her  hand,"  then  the  boy  would  be  excluded.  Another  reason  for 
the  use  of  masculine  forms  of  address  and  salutation  is  that  the 
members  of  the  firm  may  have  changed  since  last  addressed.  As 
the  masculine  always  includes  the  feminine  no  mistake  can  be  made 
by  using  the  forms  of  "  Messrs."  and  "  Gentlemen,"  as  the  office 
of  these  words  is  simply  pronominal.  It  is  well  to  call  attention 
to  the  fact  that  since  Anglo-Saxon  times  there  has  been  no  common 
pronoun  applicable  to  persons.  There  is  the  pronoun  "  it,"  but 
that  applies  only  to  animals,  babies,  and  inanimate  objects.  To 
overcome  this  defect,  so  as  to  permit  of  invariable  interpretation 
of  legal  language,  it  was  decided  by  Parliament  that  the  pronouns 
"  he "  "  his,"  and  "  him,"  should  serve  as  common  personal 
pronouns,  to  include  she,  her,  and  hers.  Rule  :  Masculine  words 
serving  a  pronominal  purpose  always  include  the  feminine  gender. 


14  STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Unknown  Titles 

P.  O.  Box  71,  committees  of  unknown  composition  in  sex,  and 
other  doubtful  bodies,  should  be  addressed  as  "  Gentlemen."  "  P.  O. 
Box  71  "  may  be  from  any  source  ;  namely,  from  one  man,  from  one 
woman,  or  from  two  or  more  of  each  ;  from  a  firm  of  all  men  or  of 
all  women,  or  from  one  of  mixed  sex.  "  Dear  Sir  "  or  "  Dear 
Madam  "  would  exclude  some  ;  while  "  Gentlemen,"  applicable  to 
both  sexes  in  such  instance,  includes  both  genders,  singular  and 
plural. 

Mixed  Incorporated  Titles 

The  proper  title  of  a  firm  is  always  the  incorporated  title,  and 
logically  and  legally  should  not  be  broken  up  to  suit  convenience. 
This  rule,  however,  is  not,  popularly,  always  carried  into  effect, 
as  may  be  seen  in  addressing  the  firm  of  "  John  Wanamaker, 
Philadelphia."  The  peculiarity  of  this  title  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
it  is  necessary  to  distinguish  the  Philadelphia  house  from  the  New 
York  house,  which  is  incorporated  under  the  name  of  "  John 
Wanamaker,  New  York."  All  legal  documents — contracts,  etc.,— 
would  carefully  observe  these  distinctive  forms,  and,  of  course, 
commercial  correspondence  to  be  accurate  should  do  likewise. 

Popularly,  however,  it  is  not  possible  to  draw  such  fine  distinc- 
tion, though  the  fact  of  the  peculiar  title  is  clearly  and  intentionally 
shown  in  the  letter-head  of 

JOHN  WANAMAKER  PHILADELPHIA 
New  York  Paris 

The  proper  introduction  would  be 

John  Wanamaker,  Philadelphia, 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Gentlemen  : 

which,  in  the  popular  form,  would  become 

John  Wanamaker, 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Gentlemen  : 

Persons  ignorant  of  the  fact  of  the  firm's  being  a  corporation 
would  write  "  Dear  Sir  :  "  as  salutation. 

Great  care  should  be  exercised  in  the  addressing  of  envelopes. 
Inaccuracy  or  haste  in  this  particular  often  results  in  the  loss  or 
delay  of  the  letter,  and  in  consequent  detriment  to  one's  business. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH  15 

The  following  pages  illustrate  the  correct  forms  to  be  used  in 
certain  instances. 

Addresses  of  Officials 

THE  PRESIDENT 
On  the  envelope : 

The  President, 

White  House, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

'  On  the  letter-head : 

To  the  President. 

Sir: 

THE  VICE-PRESIDENT 
On  the  envelope : 

The  Vice-President  of  the  United  States, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
On  the  letter-head  : 

To  the  Vice-President  of  the  United  States. 
Sir: 

THE  CABINET 
On  the  envelope  : 

The  Honorable,  The  Secretary  of  State, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
On  the  letter-sheet : 

The  Honorable,   The   Secretary  of  State, 
Sir: 

Note.— The  complimentary  close  in  official  letters  is  "  Yours  respectfully." 


16  STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH 

GOVERNOR 
On  the  envelope : 

His  Excellency,  William  Hughes, 
Albany, 

New  York. 
On  the  letter-head : 

His  Excellency,  William  Hughes. 
Sir: 


SENATOR 
On  the  envelope 

Honorable  Elihu  Root, 

United  States  Senator, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
On  the  letter-sheet : 

Honorable  Elihu  Root. 
Sir: 


CONGRESSMAN 
On  the  envelope : 

Honorable  James  Brown,  M.  C., 

Washington,  D.  C. 
On  the  letter-head : 

Honorable  James  Brown. 
Sir: 

(State    cabinet    officials,    senators,   and  assemblymen  use  the  same 
forms   as   those   of  the    United   States,) 


STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS  ENGLISH  17 


MAYOR 
On  the  envelope : 

Honorable  Wm.  J.  Gaynor, 

Mayor  of  the  City  of  New  York, 

On  the  letter-head  : 

To  His  Honor  Wm.  J.  Gaynor. 
Sir: 


JUDGE 
On  the  envelope : 

Honorable  Charles  Stout, 
Buffalo, 

New  York. 

On  the  letter-head : 

Honorable  Charles  Stout. 
Sir: 


LEGISLATURE 
On  the  envelope : 

Honorable  Charles  Brown, 
Utica, 

New  York. 

On  the  letter-head : 

Honorable  Charles  Brown. 
Sir: 


18  STYLE-BOOK    OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH 


Forms  of  Address  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Clergy 

This  table  of  titles  applies  particularly  to  the  United  States 
of  America.  The  titles  are  nearly  alike  in  all  English-speaking 
countries,  the  principal  difference  consisting  in  the  omission 
in  addressing  bishops  of  the  form  "  Your  Lordship,"  applicable 
in  monarchical  countries  (including  Canada),  but  substituted  in 
the  United  States  by  "  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  "  or  "  Rt.  Rev.  and  dear 
Bishop." 

CARDINAL  (bishop  of  an  episcopal  see) 

Introduction.  .         Salutation. 

His  Eminence,  Your  Eminence  : 

John  Cardinal  Farley, 

Archbishop  of  New  York. 

(The  initials  "  D.D."  are  not  used  after  cardinals'  names.) 


ARCHBISHOP 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

The  Most  Rev.  John  Ireland,  D.D.,       Most     Reverend     Archbishop  :  or 
St.  Paul,  Minn.  Most    Rev.    and    dear    Archbishop  : 

Your  Grace  : 


BISHOP 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Chas.  H.  Colton,  D.D.,     Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  :  or 

1025  Delaware  Avenue,  Rt.  Rev.  and  dear  Bishop  : 

Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

MONSIGNORS 

There  are  two  grades  of  Monsignors — the  higher  known  as  the 
Right  Reverend  and  the  lower  as  the  Very  Reverend. 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

Rt.  Rev.  Monsignor  James  J.  Flood,     Right  Rev.  Sir  :  or 

Rector  of  Church  of  St.  John       Right    Rev.    and    dear    Monsignor  : 

the  Evangelist, 
Very  Rev.  Monsignor  James  V.  Lewis,  Very  Rev.  Sir  :  or 

460  Madison  Avenue,  Very  Rev.  Monsignor  : 

New  York. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS  ENGLISH  19 

PRESIDENTS  OF  COLLEGES  AND  SEMINARIES 
The  presidents  of  these  institutions  take  the  title  of  "  Very 
Reverend."     Similarly  the  deans  of  theological  faculties  and  some- 
times urban  and  rural  deans,  also  the  heads  of  some  communities  of 
priests,  but  there  are  many  exceptions  to  the  rule. 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

Very  Rev.  J.  W.  Moore,  CM.,  Very  Rev.  and  dear  Sir  : 

St.  John's  College, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Observe  in  the  instance  above  the  letters  "  C.  M."  following 
the  name.  This  means  that  if  a  priest  or  a  bishop  is  a  member  of  a 
religious  community  then  the  initials  of  the  Latin  name  of  the 
community  to  which  he  belongs  are  attached  to  his  name. 

PASTOR 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

Rev.  George^  P.  Carroll,  Reverend  and  dear  Sir  : 

Rector  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  (or  from  a  parishioner) 

Orange,  N.  J.  Dear  Father  Carroll  : 

CURATE 

Similar  form  as  for  pastor,  omitting  "  Rector." 
If  a  pastor  or  a  curate  possesses  the  title  of  D.  D.  the  letters 
should  follow  his  name  and  the  salutation  should  be  "  Rev.  and  dear 

Doctor  :  "  or  "  Dear  Doctor :  "  instead  of  "  Rev.  and  dear 

Sir  :  "  or  "  Dear  Father :  " 

BROTHERS 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

Brother  Jerome,  Dear  Brother  Jerome  : 

St.  Francis  College, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


20  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


SISTERS  SUPERIOR 

Occasionally  there  is  a  distinction  made  between  (1)  the  head  of 
community  or  entire  sisterhood  and  (2)  the  head  of  a  local  house. 
This  difference,  however,  is  not  sufficiently  important  to  the  public 
to  require  particular  treatment. 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

Rev.  Mother  M.  St.  Mark,  Reverend  Mother  : 

St.  Philip's  Convent, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y! 

Mother  M.  St.  Columba,  Dear  Mother  St.  Columba  : 

St.  James's  Home, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

SISTERS 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

Sister  Mary  Elizabeth,  Dear  Sister  Elizabeth  : 

Convent  of  the  Sacred  Heart, 
Boston,  Mass. 


Protestant  Clergy 

BISHOP 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

Right  Reverend  William  Lawrence,  D.  D.,   Rt.    Rev.   Sir  :  or   Rt.    Rev.   and 
Bishop  of  Massachusetts,  dear  Sir  : 

Boston,  Mass. 

Methodist    Bishops    are    addressed    as    Reverend. 

MINISTER 

Introduction.  Salutation. 

Reverend  Russell  H.  Conwell,  LL.  D.,    Reverend  Sir  :  or  Dear  Sir  : 
The  Baptist  Temple, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  21 


ISAAC    PITMAN    &    SONS 

SHORTHAND     AND-   EDUCATIONAL     PUBLISHERS 

2  WEST  FORTY-FIFTH  STREET 

New  York,  June  15,  1909. 

Mr.  H.  W.  Hammond, 

83  Fourth  Avenue, 

New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

You    will   confer   a    favor    by  translating   the   enclosed 
Spanish  and  French  letters  and  returning  them  to  us. 

Your  suggestion  regarding  the  desirability  of   using  the 
"  Style-Book  "  in  your  St.  John's  College  class  meets  our  approval. 

With  kind  regards  and  best  wishes,  we  are 
Very  truly  yours, 

ISAAC  PITMAN  &  SONS. 


Illustrating  the  Use  of  the  Note-head  for  Short  Letters 

This  style  of  note-head  is  about  half  the  length  of  a  full  sheet  of  1 1  x  8$ 
inches.  It  is  used  for  short  communications  and  is  generally  single  spaced. 
When  necessary  to  balance  well  on  the  page  extra  space  is  generally  put 
between  the  paragraphs. 


22  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


C.     The  Body  of  the  Letter 

In  communicating  with  anybody,  the  first  impulse  is  to  talk  to 
him.  One  may  do  this  directly,  face  to  face,  or  by  means  of  the 
telephone.  If  one  can  do  neither,  one  will  send  him  a  telegraphic 
message  (a  medium  to  be  considered  later),  or  one  will  write  to  him. 
From  this  viewpoint,  a  letter  is  merely  a  substitute  for  a  talk. 
The  style  of  the  best  letters  emphasizes  this  fact.  It  is  colloquial — 
conversational  in  manner.  Keeping  this  fact  in  mind,  one  should 
perhaps  in  writing  a  letter  imagine  oneself  actually  talking  to  some 
definite  person  or  persons.  A  letter  written  in  this  way  is  much 
more  likely  to  be  effective  than  a  letter  composed  vaguely  and  at 
random. 

In  succeeding  chapters  suggestions  will  be  given  regarding  the 
body  of  various  types  of  letters.  Here  may  be  emphasized  the  fact 
that  all  letters  should  be  written  on  stationery  of  a  good  quality, 
in  clear  penmanship  or  with  a  ribbon  giving  clear  impressions, 
and  with  neat  and  attractive  spacing.  Indentions  should  be  as 
follows : 

Between  top  of  page  and  the  date-line  2  inches ;  left-hand 
margin  f  of  an  inch  ;  right-hand  margin  \  of  an  inch  ;  space  for 
printed  matter  or  blank  space  2  inches ;  first  line  of  introduction 
|  of  an  inch,  second  line  1J,  third  line  2J  ;  subsequent  paragraphs 
1 J  ;  salutation  f  of  an  inch  ;  first  paragraph  1J  inches  ;  body  f  ; 
of  the  complimentary  close,  in  center  of  the  line ;  of  signature, 
f  of  an  inch  farther  than  that  of  the  complimentary  close.  The 
letter  in  the  center  of  the  page.  In  the  center  from  side  to  side 
and  from  top  to  bottom. 

D.     The  Complimentary  Close 

The  best  usage  to-day  avoids  the  use  of  such  phrases  as  "  I 
remain  "  and  "  I  am  "  and  of  participial  phrases  in  conjunction  with 
these,  such  as  "  Hoping  to  hear  from  you  soon,  I  am,"  etc.  The 
best  rule  is  :  Stop  writing  when  you  are  through.  If  such  phrases 
are  used,  however,  use  them  correctly.  "  I  remain  "  should  be 
used  only  when  previous  correspondence  has  taken  place,  otherwise 
there  would  be  no  sense  to  the  phrase  "  I  remain."  It  means  that 
the  person  remains  as  he  previously  was,  that  is,  on  terms  of  acquired 
acquaintance.  After  two  or  three  letters  he  may,  perhaps,  write 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  23 

"  I  remain."  Otherwise  always  for  the  first  time  close  with  "  I 
am."  The  same  rule  applies  to  "  Yours  sincerely."  This  indicates 
advanced  acquaintance  or  friendship  on  your  part  with  your 
correspondent.  "  I  am  "  is  the  formal  close  for  a  letter  to  a  stranger. 
It  would  be  unduly^ familiar  to  say  "  Yours  sincerely  "  on  first 
writing. 

In  determining  the  complimentary  close  consider  the  relation 
of  the  writer  to  the  person  addressed.  If  he  is  not  acquainted 
with  him  in  any  way  he  cannot  say  "  Yours  respectfully,"  for  the 
person  addressed  may  be  a  tramp  for  all  he  knows  to  the  contrary. 
The  same  applies  to  "  Yours  sincerely."  "  Yours  truly,"  is  then 
the  correct  form.  "  Yours  truly,"  has  no  special  significance. 
It  is  non-committal.  A  letter  addressed  to  no  particular  person, 
that  is,  "  To  Whom  It  May  Concern,"  may  have  no  salutation 
and  no  complimentary  close.  Not  being  addressed  to  any  one 
by  name  it  does  not  admit  of  saying  "  Dear  Sir,"  "  Gentlemen," 
"  Dear  Madam,"  etc.,  and  consequently  cannot  end  with  a  remark 
of  complimentary  character,  such  as  "  Yours  truly,"  "  Yours 
sincerely,"  '  Yours  respectfully,"  etc.  It  is  not  known  into  whose 
hands  such  letters  may  fall.  It  might  be  into  the  hands  of  a  thief. 
Therefore,  words  of  politeness  are  not  applicable  in  such  instances. 
This  rule,  however,  is  not  always  observed  in  business. 

The  complimentary  close  always  begins  exactly  in  the  middle  of 
the  line  and  is  invariably  followed  by  a  comma.  Only  the  first 
word  should  be  capitalized. 

E.     The  Signature 

It  is  more  courteous  to  sign  one's  name  to  any  letter,  although 
the  use  of  a  stamped  or  typewritten  signature  is  in  most  cases  legal. 
Sign  your  name  in  the  form  that  you  are  accustomed  to  use  when 
addressed.  A  woman  should  never  sign  her  name  to  a  business 
letter  without  indicating  whether  married  or  single.  In  social 
letters  a  woman,  writing  for  the  first  time  to  a  person,  signs  her 
maiden  Christian  names  with  her  married  surname.  Then  at  the 
left  side  and  below  she  subscribes  her  husband's  full  name  preceded 
by  Miss  or  Mrs.  The  words  Miss  or  Mrs.  may  be  enclosed  in 
parentheses,  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  do  this. 

3— (400) 


24  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Folding  and  Inserting  the  Letter-Sheet 

The  act  of  folding  the  letter-sheet  may  seem  to  be  a  trivial  act, 
but  it  really  is  of  importance  in  correspondence.  The  difference 
between  the  right  way  and  the  wrong  way  is  strikingly  noticeable 
in  speed  to  the  writer  and  in  convenience  to  the  receiver.  The  prin- 
ciple involved  is  to  save  time  for  both  parties,  yet  thousands  in 
folding  their  letter-sheets  consider  only  their  own  ease,  putting  the 
others  to  annoyance  and  inconvenience.  It  is  worth  while  to 
illustrate  this  point  by  showing  the  very  common  way — the  wrong 
way. 

THE  WRONG  WAY. — Fold  the  sheet  up  from  the  bottom  until  within 
half  an  inch  from  the  top  and  then  crease.  The  next  movement  is 
to  fold  it  over  from  the  left  to  the  right  about  one-third  the  distance, 
then  from  right  to  left.  Then  turn  it  over  for  insertion  so  as  to 
avoid  the  flap  catching  in  the  envelope.  Now.  when  the  recipient 
opens  the  letter,  he  has  to  turn  the  sheet  over  to  get  at  the  flap, 
and  then  after  unfolding  it  may  even  have  to  turn  it  around  to  read 
it.  For  a  person  who  opens  scores  of  letters  a  day  this  is  no  slight 
annoyance. 

THE  RIGHT  WAY. — Fold  the  sheet  from  bottom  upward  to  within 
half  an  inch  of  the  top  and  then  crease.  Now  fold  from  right  to 
left,  then  from  left  to  right,  and  the  sheet  may  be  inserted  without 
being  turned  to  avoid  catching.  When  opened  by  the  recipient 
the  sheet  will  be  found  in  the  correct  position  for  unfolding,  causing 
no  unnecessary  movement  or  loss  of  time. 

To  ATTACH  STAMPS. — Tear  a  strip  of  stamps  from  a  sheet  and 
moisten  the  whole  strip  with  a  sponge.  Then  take  the  strip  in  the 
right  hand,  and  with  the  thumb  and  fingers  press  and  detach  the 
stamp  on  to  the  envelope.  The  force  employed  in  doing  this  breaks 
the  stamp  from  the  strip. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  25 


Review  Questions  for  Chapter  II 

1  What  are  the  parts  of  a  letter  ? 

2  How  many  commas  are  there  in  a  full  date-line  ? 

3  What  is  "My  dear  Sir  "  called  ? 

4  What  is  the  salutation  in  addressing  various  public  officials  ? 

5  What  point  follows  the  salutation  ? 

6  What  marks  are  wrongly  used  after  the  salutation  in  business 
letters  ? 

7  What  points  follow  the  different  items  of  the  introduction  ? 

8  What  point  follows  the  complimentary  close  ? 

9  Where  does  the  sender's  address  appear  when  there  is  no 
printed  head  ? 

10  Is  "  My  Dear  Sir  "  properly  capitalized  ?     (See  Q.  3). 

1 1  What  single  word  is  capitalized  in  the  complimentary  close  ? 

12  In  writing  to  a  stranger  do  you  close  with  "  I  am  "  or  "I 
remain  "  ? 

13  Should  a  comma  be  placed  after  "  I  am,"  "  I  remain,"  and 
"  we  are  "  ? 

14  Do  you  close  with  "  Yours  sincerely  "  to  a  stranger  ? 

15  What  is  the  general  complimentary  close  to  a  stranger  ? 

16  Why  is  a  very  plainly  written  signature  preferable  ? 

17  In  which  kind  of  letter  is  there  no  complimentary  close  ? 

18  What  is  the  introduction  in  such  a  letter  ?    How  capitalized  ? 

19  Do  you  write  the  complimentary  close  in  the  body  of  the 
letter  or  in  a  separate  line  ? 

20  How  do  you  close  a  letter  to  a  friend  ? 

21  In  addressing  a  girl  what  salutation  do  you  use  ? 

22  In  addressing  a  woman,  single  or  married  ? 

23  Several  women,  single  or  married  ?     In  the  plural  saluta- 
tions "  Mesdames  :  "  and  "  Gentlemen  :  "  do  you  prefix  "  Dear  "  ? 

24  What  is  the  salutation  for  "  P.  O.  Box  14  "  ? 

25  For  pen-written  letters  what  is  the  measurement  (in  inches) 
of  each  of  the  three  margins  on  a  letter-head  ?     How  far  from 
top  of  sheet  should  the  date-line  be  ?     What  is  the  indention 
(in  inches)  of  each  part  of  the  introduction  ?     Of  the  salutation  ? 
Of  the  first  paragraph  ?     Of  the  body  ?     Of  succeeding  paragraphs  ? 


26  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Of  the  complimentary  close  ?     Of  the  signature  ?     First  line  of 
the  heading  ?     Of  the  superscription  ? 

26  In  a  date  do  "  st,"  "  d,"  and  "  th  "  come  after  the  figures 
indicating  the  day  of  the  month  ?     (For  example,  Jan.  4th,  1901.) 
In  the  signature  for  letter  (c)   on  page  27  do  you   use  "  by  "  or 
"  per"  ?     See  page  126. 

27  When  are  "  st/'  "  d,"  and  "  th  "  properly  used  ? 

28  How  should  a  married  woman  sign  her  name  to  a  letter  ? 

29  Is  it  proper  for  a  woman  to  sign  a  business  letter  without 
indicating  whether  she  is  married  or  single  ?     What  is  the  custom 
in  social  letters  ? 

30  What  are  the  salutation  and  title  used  in  a  letter  addressed 
to  a  firm  composed  of  men  and  women  ?     Is  the  assumption  for 
correspondence  that  all  business  companies  are  masculine  correct  ? 
When  in  doubt  as  to  whether  married  or  single,  what  title  is  used 
in  addressing  a  woman  ? 

31  Do  you  use  or  not  use  "  Messrs."  before  "  Company  "  ? 

32  What  is  the  plural  of  "  Mrs."  ? 

33  What  is  the  writing  on  the  envelope  called  ? 

34  Is  c/o  (care  of)  necessary  on  the  envelope  ? 

35  What  are  "  Mr.,"  "  Messrs.,"  "  Mrs.,"  "  Mesdames,"  etc., 
called  ? 

36  If  you  wish  another  person  to  take  charge  of  the  letter 
what  do  you  do  ? 

37  Where  is  the  sender's  address  placed  on  the  letter-sheet 
and  on  the  envelope  ? 

38  Is  the  sign  #  any  longer  used  on  an  envelope  to  indicate 
the  number  of  the  house  in  the  street  ? 

39  What  is  the  proper  salutation  for  the  Mayor  of  your  city  ? 
for  the  President  of  the  United  States  ? 

40  Of  what  is  a  letter  really  the  equivalent  ? 

Exercises 

1  Write  the  date-line,  introduction,  salutation,  and  com- 
plimentary close  for  letters,  supposedly  written  by  the  pupil  in  his 
proper  person,  to  the  following,  adding  correct  punctuation  to  the 
following  items  :  (Set  your  dates  in  different  months  of  the  year 
and  vary  your  address.) 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  27 


(a)  Victor   Blauvelt    Real   Estate   Parsippany   N    J    (Applying 
for  a  position). 

(b)  Mary  E  Lynch  (who  is  married)  594  Broad  Street  Philadelphia 
Pa  (A  friend). 

(c)  National  Storage  Co  354  Plane  Street  Los  Angeles  Cal  (For 
your  mother). 

(d)  Hartford   Motorcycle   Co   Mr   Henry   Cambreling   President 
Hartford  Conn     (For  yourself). 

(e)  The  Davis  School  of  Dancing  Miss  M.  Helen  McVeagh  Prin- 
cipal 191  Twelfth  Street  Minneapolis  Minn  (For  yourself). 

(/)  Hahn  &  Gifford  281  Halsey  Street  Detroit  Michigan  (For 
your  school-paper). 

(g)  Du  Pont  Powder  Co  Wilmington  Delaware  (For  a  hunting 
club). 

(h)  John  F  Moriarty  328  South  Victoria  Ave  Pueblo  Colo  (to 
a  relative). 

(i)  U  S  Consul  Rio  de  Janeiro  (asking  information  on  chances 
for  Americans). 

(/)  A  M  Jessup  429  Lipton  Street  Winnipeg  Manitoba  (in  reply 
to  an  offer  of  a  farm  for  sale). 

2  Write  the  envelopes  for  d,  e,  h,  i,  and  j. 

3  Write  the  first  letter  in  full,  including  the  superscription. 

4  Write     the     fifth     or    sixth     letter    in    full,    including    the 
superscription. 

5  Write  the  eighth  letter  in  full,  including  the  superscription. 


CHAPTER   III 
SOME   MATTERS   OF   FORM   (continued} 

Punctuation 

ONE  of  the  oldest  publishing- houses  in  America,  and  one  of  the 
best  known  for  accuracy  of  language  and  correctness  of  style,  in  the 
preface  of  a  book  of  model  letters  says  that  those  letters  are  as  they 
were  written  by  business  men.  An  examination  shows  scores  of 
flagrant  errors  of  punctuation,  of  capitalizing,  of  paragraphing,  etc. 
Also,  among  the  many  letter-dictation  books  used  in  schools  there 
are  not  two  which  are  not  literally  crammed  with  the  grossest 
errors  in  punctuation.  There  is  a  reason  for  this.  As  long  as  every 
business  man  considers  himself  competent  there  is  little  use  in 
asserting  a  standard.  He  wishes  to  be  original  and  impressive 
and  to  show  his  thoughts  as  he  wants  them  to  be  understood,  regard- 
less of  fixed  rules  that  no  one  really  ever  masters.  Business  letters 
appeal  to  the  eye,  partaking  altogether  of  the  nature  of  an  advertise- 
ment. Sentences  are  arranged  so  as  to  be  readily  grasped  and 
quickly  understood.  A  letter  of  one  of  the  greatest  publishers  of 
business  literature  employs  no  less  than  fifteen  dashes. 

The  demands  of  business  are  superior  to  rules  of  grammar,  is  the 
business  man's  plea. 

On  one  of  the  most  carefully  edited  magazines  in  the  United 
States  an  assistant  editor  took  exception  to  a  paragraph  on  an 
advertising  page.  There  was  a  certain  space,  and  in  that  space 
there  had  to  be  inserted  an  idea — a  fundamental  idea — meaning 
certain  loss  or  profit  according  to  the  wording.  The  proof-reader 
tried  to  rearrange  the  words  to  make  them  grammatical  and  at  the 
same  time  to  retain  effectiveness  as  an  order-producing  sentence. 
He  showed  the  difficulty  to  the  editor  and  received  the  response 
that  he  knew  perfectly  well  that  it  was  ungrammatical,  but  that 
business  necessities  demanded  it.  On  the  editorial  page  this  error 
would  not  have  been  tolerated,  yet  it  was  actually  ordered  to  be 
inserted  in  the  advertising  section. 

The  stenographer  dares  not  criticize  the  dictator's  methods,  as 
there  never  were  two  business  men  who  punctuated  alike.  There- 
fore, as  the  stenographer  has  little  or  no  say  at  all  in  the  matter,  it  is 

28 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  29 


of  very  little  use  to  lay  down  any  but  a  few  short  rules  to  cover  so 
intricate  a  subject.  It  is  true  that  all  books  of  the  class  of  this  one 
give  rules,  which,  in  a  few  lines,  are  intended  to  cover  a  subject 
that  requires  years  of  study  and  practise.  But  experienced  teachers 
of  English  and  proof-readers  understand  the  uselessness  of  so  doing, 
and  simply  recommend  the  pupil  to  take  up  punctuation  as  a  special 
study. 

The  business  use  of  all  points  but  the  comma  and  the  semicolon 
is  too  easy  to  learn  to  require  much  attention  here.  No  one,  how- 
ever, can  use  the  comma  and  the  semicolon  correctly  who  has  not  a 
profound  knowledge  of  grammar.  To  give  a  few  of  the  many  rules 
in  so  difficult  a  subject  is  worse  than  to  give  none,  as  all  good 
teachers  know.  Study  punctuation  specially  in  Lovell's  Punctuation 
as  a  Means  of  Expression,  or  in  any  good  grammar. 

.Scattered  through  this  book  are  many  points  in  punctuation  as 
immediately  applied — all,  in  fact,  that  can  possibly  be  learned  without 
a  systematic  and  prolonged  special  study. 

Study  your  dictator's  method  ;  he  punctuates  to  catch  his  corre- 
spondent's eye.  Do  not  talk  grammar  to  him,  as  he  might  reply 
that  if  you  knew  less  of  it  you  might  be  woith  more  in  business. 
All  use  nearly  alike  every  point  except  the  comma.  Study  each 
dictator's  individual  style.  For  self-improvement  review  your 
grammar. 

Many  reasons  are  given  in  this  book  for  the  use  of  punctuation 
marks  as  shown  below.  Where  no  reason  is  given,  commit  to 
memory,  or  think  hard  a  little  while  and  you  will  discover  it.  If 
you  fail,  do  not  be  too  sensitive  to  criticism.  Recall  that  for  ten 
years  before  entering  business  you  were  given  instruction  in  writing 
English  in  the  public  schools.  A  few  pages  on  punctuation  in  this 
book  would  now  be  of  no  use  to  you.  Better,  therefoie,  ask  no 
questions,  criticize  no  orders.  A  few  days'  study  of  syntax  in  any 
grammar  will  help  more  than  anything  else. 

Punctuation  Points  as  Used  in  this  Book 

Page  Page 

Date-line 70  Regents'  style      . .          . .  75 

Introductory  Address        . .  89  Quotations            . .          . .  82 

Salutation 118  Abbreviations       . .          . .  233 

Broken  Sentences . .         . .  103  Books        153 

Superscription        ..          ..  11  Orders       ..          ..          ..  118 

Paragraphs             . .          ...  102  Bookkeeping         . .          . .  123 

Telegrams               . .          . .  184  Displayed  matter            . .  91 

Columns  of  words             . .  238  Figures 233 

Tabular  matter  234 


30  STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Capitalization 

Capitalize  proper  names,  or  words  used  as  such,  singular  or  plural ; 
also  when  used  as  adjectives,  unless  the  adjective  form  is  a  different 
word,  derived  from  a  common  noun  used  as  a  proper  noun  in  specific 
cases;  for  example,  President  (presidential),  Senate  (senatorial), 
Congress  (congressional),  Province  (provincial).  Exceptions: 
Democratic,  Territorial,  as  relating  to  the  Democratic  Party  or  a 
Territory  of  the  United  States. 

Capitalize,  singular  or  plural,  with  the  name  or  standing  alone, 
the  title  of  any  ruler,  the  name  of  any  national  legislative  body  and 
subdivisions  of  any  country.  This  includes  dependencies  like 
Australia,  Canada,  etc.  Capitalize  also  the  adjective  forms,  unless 
embraced  in  the  exceptions  noted  in  the  preceding  paragraph. 

Capitalize  the  titles  of  State  legislative  bodies  when  accompanied 
by  the  name,  as  the  Massachusetts  General  Court,  the  General  Court 
of  Massachusetts,  the  New  York  Assembly,  the  Assembly  of  New 
York,  the  Rhode  Island  House  of  Representatives,  the  House  of 
Representatives  of  Rhode  Island,  Ohio  Legislature  ;  but  lower-case 
the  general  court,  the  assembly,  the  house  of  representatives,  the 
legislature,  etc. 

Capitalize  the  titles  of  United  States  executive  departments, 
bureaus,  services,  etc.,  and  organizations  of  the  Army  and  Navy, 
singular,  plural,  and  adjective  forms ;  lower-case  department, 
bureau,  corps,  etc.,  when  standing  alone. 

Capitalize  all  geographic  terms,  singular  or  plural,  when  with 
the  name. 

Capitalize  street,  avenue,  road,  lane,  etc.,  singular  or  plural, 
when  with  the  name. 

Capitalize  all  titles  immediately  preceding  names  of  persons. 
In  addresses  and  with  signatures  capitalize  both  before  and  after 
name. 

Capitalize  department,  bureau,  division,  office,  etc.,  when  used 
with  a  name  that  is  capitalized,  even  though  it  is  not  a  part  of  the 
exact  title,  as  Pension  Office  for  Bureau  of  Pensions.  This  refers 
only  to  branches  of  the  Government. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  31 

Capitalize  a  fanciful  or  popular  appellation  as  if  a  real  name,  as 
Keystone  State,  Bay  State,  City  of  Churches,  Monumental  City, 
Capital  City,  Windy  City,  the  Hub,  Great  Father  (the  President), 
etc. 

Capitalize  names  of  monuments,  tombs,  statues,  etc.,  when  of  a 
public  character,  as  Bunker  Hill  Monument,  Grant's  Tomb,  Rocham- 
beau  Statue,  Statue  of  Liberty,  etc.  ;  but  lower-case  the  words 
"monument,"  "tomb,"  "statue,"  etc.,  when  employed  in  a  general 
way,  as  the  statue  of  Columbus,  the  tomb  of  Napoleon,  etc. 

Capitalize  such  terms  as  the  following  when  with  a  name  or 
number  and  used  as  a  proper  noun.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to 
confound  a  proper  adjective  with  a  proper  noun.  For  instance,  the 
Johnson  House  would  mean  a  hotel  and,  therefore,  be  a  proper  noun  ; 
but  should  a  house  be  referred  to  that  was  the  property  of  or  occu- 
pied by  a  family  named  Johnson,  it  would  be  the  Johnson  house, 
Pier  A  or  Pier  19,  but  at  the  White  Star  Line's  pier  ;  Boston  Light. 
Boston  and  Boone  Island  Lights,  but  Massachusetts  Bay  lights. 

Lower-case  the  following  words  of  common  usage  which  were 
originally  proper  names,  but  whose  significance  as  such  has  become 
obscured,  or  when  used  before  nouns  in  common  use  to  specify 
merchandise  : 

belleek  ware  manila  rope 

bologna  sausage  mercerized  fabrics 

china  ware  merino  sheep 

china  clay  morocco  (leather) 

delftware  navy  blue 

frankfurter  (sausage)  navy  cloth 

gothic  (type)  osnaburg 

harveyized  steel  pasteurized  milk 

india  ink  roman  (type) 

india  rubber  russia  (leather) 

levantine  silk  timothy  grass 

lyonnaise  potatoes  Venetian  blinds 

macadamized  road  wedgwood  ware 

Lower-case  adjectives  and  verbs  ending  in  "  ize,"  "  ed,"  and 
"  ing,"  though  the  original  word  be  a  proper  noun,  when  applied 
to  trade  products  or  processes,  as  harveyized,  pasteurized,  maca- 
damized, galvanized,  mercerized,  etc.  ;  otherwise  capitalize,  as 
Christianize,  Americanize,  Frenchify,  Bryanize,  etc. 


32  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Capitalize  the  principal  words  in  addresses,  signatures,  and 
date-lines. 

Capitalize  the  United  States  Army,  the  Army,  etc. 

Capitalize  standing  alone  and  also  when  used  as  an  adjective  ; 
the  Army,  and  Army  officer,  etc. 

Capitalize  its  organizations  and  branches,  as  the  Cavalry,  Infantry, 
Field  Artillery,  Coast  Artillery. 

Capitalize  the  names  of  foreign  organizations,  as  British  Army, 
the  Royal  Guards. 

Capitalize  all  United  State  Government  boards,  bureaus, 
commissions,  divisions,  and  experiment  stations. 

Capitalize  State  and  other  boards  when  accompanied  by  proper 
name,  as  Ohio  Board  of  Health,  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  Boston, 
etc.  ;  but  lower-case  when  standing  alone,  as  board  of  health,  board 
of  pharmacy,  etc. 

College  degrees  should  be  lower-case  when  spelled,  as  the  degree 
of  doctor  of  laws,  the  degree  of  master  of  arts,  etc. 

Capitalize  all  words  denoting,  as  All- Wise  ;  also  all  pronouns 
except  those  commencing  with  the  letter  "  w,"  as  who,  whom,  or 
whose. 

Capitalize  when  referring  to  the  United  States  Government  or  to 
foreign  Governments,  as  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  the 
Japanese  Government.  Lower-case  in  the  abstract  sense,  as  this 
Government  is  a  government,  the  reins  of  government,  the  seat 
of  government,  etc.  ;  referring  to  a  State  of  the  United  States,  the 
State  government. 

Capitalize  when  preceding  any  word  that  is  capitalized,  as 
National  Government ;  also  National  and  State  Governments  and 
National  Capital ;  otherwise  lower-case,  as  the  national  spirit. 

Capitalize  when  a  part  of  a  name  of  an  organization,  or  as  a  title, 
that  is  capitalized,  as  First  Regiment,  Twelfth  Census,  Charles  the 
First ;  Document  Numbered  One  hundred  and  twenty,  One  hundred 
and  tenth  Street ;  otherwise  lower-case,  as  second  district,  fifth 
ward,  tenth  precinct. 

Capitalize  also  any  synonymous  title  referring  to  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  as  Chief  Magistrate,  Commander  in  Chief, 
Executive,  His  Excellency,  etc.  Lower-case  presidential. 


STYLE-BOOK    OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH  33 


Capitalize  the  terms  used  with  Roman  numerals  as  titles,  as 
Chapter  XV,  Section  II,  Plate  VI,  Group  IV,  etc. 

When  not  a  title,  or  when  other  than  Roman  numerals  are  used, 
lower-case,  as  abstract  B,  section  A,  class  1,  class  A,  volume  1, 
chapter  1,  etc. 

Capitalize  when  immediately  associated  with  name,  as  Boston 
Medical  Society,  Typographical  Union,  etc. 

Capitalize  State  the  same  as  Government. 

Capitalize  State's  attorney,  State's  evidence ;  but  lower-case 
such  expressions  as  affairs  of  state,  church  and  state,  secretary  of 
state  of  Indiana ;  also  the  words  "  statehood,"  "  statehouse." 

Lower-case  sections  of  States,  as  east  Illinois,  western  Kansas, 
east  Tennessee,  etc. 

Capitalize  such  terms  as  alley,  avenue,  circle,  court,  lane,  place, 
road,  street,  and  square,  singular  or  plural,  when  with  the  name. 

Capitalize  "  The  "  when  a  part  of  a  name,  as  The  Hague,  The 
Dalles  (Oreg.),  The  Weirs  (N.  H.),  etc.,  and  certain  geographic 
formations,  as  The  Buttes  (in  Sutter  County,  Cal.),  etc.,  but  the 
Netherlands. 

Capitalize  the  principal  words  of  a  title,  as  The  Chasm  of  the 
Colorado,  painted  by  Thomas  Moran  ;  Twelfth  Night,  a  play  written 
by  William  Shakspere. 

Quote  and  capitalize  the  principal  words  of  a  title  when  introduced 
thus  :  A  book  entitled  "  The  House  of  the  Seven  Gables." 

Capitalize  historical  documents,  as  Declaration  of  Independence, 
Constitution  (United  States),  Articles  of  Confederation  (United 
States),  Bill  of  Rights,  Magna  Charta. 

Capitalize  short  titles,  as  Bancroft's  History,  Brown's  Grammar. 

Capitalize  Bible,  Biblical,  Scriptures,  Scriptural,  etc.  ;  but 
gospel  only  when  referring  to  one  of  the  four  memoirs  of  Jesus  Christ 
contained  in  the  New  Testament. 

Capitalize  the  first  words  of  direct  and  indirect  quotations  ; 

(1)  Pope   said,    "  Praise   undeserved   is    scandal    in    disguise "  ; 

(2)  The  question  is,  Shall  the  bill  pass  ? 

The  prepositions  "  de,"  "  da,"  "de,"  "della,"  "  di,"  "  1',"  "  van, 
"  von,"  etc.,  in  names  from  foreign  languages,  when  preceded  by  a 
forename,  a  title  of  nobility,  a  professional  title,  or  one  of  courtesy, 


34  STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


should  be  lower-cased ;  as  Charles  de  Ble,  Cardinal  da  Ponte, 
Marquis  de  Lafayette,  Mr.  de  Thou,  M.  d'Orbigny,  Senor  da  Yznaga, 
Gen.  della  Santa  Maria,  Dr.  d'Ouvillier,  Capt.  di  Cesnola,  Admiral 
van  Tromp,  Count  von  Moltke,  etc. 

Prepositions  in  names  from  foreign  languages,  without  a  forename, 
a  title  of  nobility,  a  professional  title,  or  one  of  courtesy,  such  as 
"  van  "  in  Dutch,  "  von  "  in  German,  "  de  "  or  "  <T  "  in  French, 
or  "  da,"  "  della/'  or  "  di "  in  Italian,  should  be  capitalized ;  as 
Van  Tromp,  Von  Humboldt,  De  Thou,  D'Orsay,  Da  Ponte,  Della 
Crusca,  Di  Cesnola. 

Capitalize  titles  in  the  second  person  only  when  used  as  synonyms 
of  proper  names  :  You  will  go,  Major,  to  New  York  ;  I  am,  General, 
yours,  etc. 

Capitalize  the  distinguishing  names  of  a  manufactured  product, 
as  Eagle  pencil,  Stickwell  paste,  Seller's  typewriter,  Pear's  soap, 
Ceres  flour,  etc.  In  trade  names  of  preparations,  etc.,  capitalize 
the  principal  words,  as  Quaker  Oats,  Force,  Sapolio,  Shredded 
Wheat,  Bon  Ami,  Puffed  Rice,  etc. 

Capitalize  the  terms  East,  West,  North,  South,  Middle  West, 
Central  West,  Northwest,  Southwest,  Pacific  Coast  States,  etc. 

Capitalize  the  terms  added  to  groups  of  States,  as  North  Atlantic, 
South  Atlantic,  Middle  Atlantic,  Gulf,  Middle,  Central,  Western, 
Northwestern,  and  Southwestern  ;  but  lower-case  a  term  prefixed 
to  any  of  the  foregoing,  as  eastern  Gulf  States,  eastern  North  Atlantic 
States,  etc.  ;  also  southern  planters,  southwestern  stock  growers, 
eastern  manufacturers,  western  farmers,  etc. 

The  following  words  are  not  capitalized  when  spelled  out  but 
always  capitalized  when  abbreviated  :  manuscript  (MSS.),  doctor 
(Dr.),  mister  (Mr.),  missis  (Mrs.),  number  (No.),  collect  on  delivery 
(C.  O.  D.),  first-class  (Al),  note  well  (N.  B.),  and  all  correct 
(O.  K.). 

Contractions 

The  practise  of  abbreviating  has  largely  gone  out  of  use  since 
the  invention  of  typewriting.  Originally  the  object  of  abbreviation 
in  handwriting  and  in  printing  was  to  save  time  and  space.  The 
mechanical  restrictions  of  some  typewriters,  however,  instead  of 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS  ENGLISH  35 


making  it  possible  to  write  the  majority  of  words  usually  contracted 
more  quickly,  act  exactly  in  reverse  manner.  It  has  been  found  by 
careful  experimenting  that  to  depress  the  shift-key  is  equal  to  the — 
striking  of  four  open  keys.  The  deduction  from  this  is  that  unless 
there  is  to  be  an  economy  effected  of  more  than  four  characters  no 
saving  results.  This  does  away  entirely  with  nearly  all  common  abbre- 
viations, such  as  inst.,  ult,  prox.,  and  many  others,  leaving  only  a 
few,  such  as  ad.,  etc.  Note  that  although  there  is  a  saving  of  one 
letter  only  in  abbreviating  September,  November,  December, 
January,  and  February,  there  is  a  positive  loss  in  contracting  the 
other  months.  As  the  total  loss  is  greater  than  the  total  gain  it 
is  better  to  spell  out  all  months. 

There  are  three  methods  of  abbreviating  words,  namely,  at  the 
end,  at  the  beginning,  and  in  the  middle.  There  is  no  exception  to 
the  rule  that  every  word  contracted  at  the  end  requires  to  be 
followed  by  a  period.  This  point  may  be  illustrated  by  the  word 
"  centum  "  abbreviated  to  "  cent."  as  in  per  cent.  There  is  no 
exception  to  the  rule  that  all  words  abbreviated  at  the  beginning 
must  be  preceded  by  an  apostrophe ;  for  example,  the  words 
'  'phone,"  '  'Change,"  etc.  With  a  few  common  exceptions  all 
words  abbreviated  in  the  middle  require  an  apostrophe  to  show  the 
omitted  letters,  but  when  the  apostrophe  is  omitted  the  abbreviation 
is  followed  by  a  period  at  the  end  of  the  word.  Such  exceptions 
are  "  bldg.,"  "  supt.,"  "  dept.,"  etc.  The  omission  of  abbreviating 
points  constitutes  an  error  in  spelling  and  is  everywhere  marked 
as  such  in  examinations. 

A.  m.  and  p.  m. 

In  the  use  of  "  p.  m."  and  "  a.  m."  are  abbreviations  of  common 
phrases,  and  therefore  do  not  require  capitalization  when 
abbreviated.  This  is  the  style  of  the  United  States  Government. 

C.  O.  D.,  f.  o.  b.  and  Ai 

The  capitalizing  of  "  C.  O.  D."  may  be  explained  on  the  same 
principle  of  the  capitalization  of  nouns,  that  is,  being  a  phrase  of 
extreme  importance  it  is  made  more  prominent.  The  contracted 


36  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


phrase  "  f.  o.  b."  is  of  less  importance,  therefore  in  small  letters. 
Note  "  Al."  No  space  should  be  between  the  "  A  "  and  the  "  1  " 
and  it  should  not  be  followed  by  a  period.  The  figure  "  1  "  is 
made  by  striking  the  small  letter  "  1." 

C/o  (in  care  of) 

With  regard  to  c/o  (in  care  of)  on  the  envelope  the  student 
should  remember  that  it  is  entirely  superfluous,  as  the  intent  of 
the  writer  is  made  plain  by  writing  the  address  of  the  person  who  is 
to  take  charge  of  the  letter  on  second  line  of  the  superscription  or  at 
the  left-hand  bottom  corner  of  the  envelope.  Letter-carriers  are 
not  so  stupid  as  not  to  know  what  that  means  without  being  told. 
The  same  remark  applies  to  "  No."  before  the  house-number. 

Days  and  Months 

The  days  of  the  week  and  some  of  the  months  of  the  year  were 
named  after  persons  or  ancient  deities  ;  for  instance,  the  name  of 
Sunday  was  in  honor  of  the  sun  ;  Monday  for  moon  day  ;  and  the 
other  days  of  the  week  after  other  deities  of  Teutonic  peoples. 
Being,  therefore,  of  personal  derivation  they  should  be  capitalized. 

The  months  are  also  capitalized  for  the  reason  that  most  of  them 
were  named  after  Roman  deities,  as  "  January,"  meaning  month 
of  Janus  ;  "  March,"  after  Mars,  the  deity  of  war  ;  "  June,"  from 
Juno,  the  wife  of  Jupiter  ;  "  July,"  after  Julius  Caesar  ;  "  August," 
after  Augustus  Caesar.  Subsequently  other  months  were  added 
to  the  year,  but  their  names  instead  of  being  taken  from  persons 
acquired  a  numeral  form  :  Septem  (seven),  "  September  "  ;  octo 
(eight),  "  October  "  ;  novem  (nine),  "  November  "  ;  decem  (ten), 
"  December."  Originally  all  nouns  in  English,  as  now  in  modern 
German,  were  capitalized.  When  the  style  changed  proper  nouns 
retained  the  capital  letter.  As  the  days  of  the  week  and  the 
names  of  the  months  continue  to  be  capitalized,  the  seasons  of  the 
year  being  apparently  of  the  same  class  of  nouns  also  retained  the 
capital  letter  until  quite  recently.  When,  however,  it  was  seen 
that  their  claim  to  a  capital  letter  rested  on  false  analogy  the 
hat  it  was  dropped.  They  are  now  not  capitalized,  as  "  spring," 
"  summer,"  "  fall,"  and  "  winter." 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


37 


This  page  shows  the 
marks  used  in  correct- 
ing proofs.  Many  of 
them  are  employed  in 
correcting  typewriting. 


or 


'7    or 

==  or 
r=  or 


13 
LJ 


O  Period. 
y   Comma. 
»   Hyphen. 
!    Colon. 
5  Semicolon. 
\js  Apostrophe, 
notations. 

Em  quadrat. 

One-em  dash. 

Two-em  parallel  dash. 
^  Push  down  space. 
O  Close  up. 
v'  Less  space. 
/\    Caret — left  out,  insert. 
^}    Turn  to  proper  position. 
vr  Insert  space. 

Move  to  left  or  to  right. 

Move  up  or  move  down. 

Transpose 

Let  it  stand. 

Dele — take  out. 

Broken  letter. 

Paragraph . 

No  paragraph. 

Wrong  font. 

Equalize  spacing. 

Capitals. 

Small  capitals. 

Lower-case. 

Superior  or  inferior. 

Italic. 

Roman. 

Brackets. 

Parentheses. 


38  STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


IjTdoeJ  not  appear  that  the  earliest  printers  toad  6 

/\  \S       any  method^f^orrecting^errors^before^the  form  ^ 
was  on  the  press/  The  learned  -^fere-tewse^  cor- 
rectors  of  the  first  two  centuries  of  printing  were 

not  proof-readers  in  our  sense/  they  w/fcre  rather  ? 

what  we  should    erm  office  editors     Their  labors  / 


/  A  / 

At  l/i^nt 
U  I 


were  chiefly  to  see  that  the  proof  corresponded  to 

the  copy,  but  that  the  printed  page  was  correct 

in  its  XatinUy/4bafrHj\g   qL°jd?  were  thcre^  and 

that  the  sense  was  right.     They  cared  -btrt  little 

about  orthography,  bad  lettersAor  purely  printer^ 

errors,  and  when  the  text  seemed  to  them  wrong 

they  consulted  fresh  authorities  or  altered  it  on 

their   own    responsibility      Good    proofsAiri    the       ^ 

modern  sense,  were  ^(possiTjle  until  professional 

readers   were  employed/  men   who  [hadj  first]  a 

printer's  education,  and  then  spent  many  years 

in  the  correct|6n  of  proof.    The  orthography  of          / 

English,  which  for  the  past  century  has  underA     - 

gone  little  change,  was  very  fluctuating  until  after  '/C' 

the  publication  of  Johnson's  Dictionary,  and  capi- 

Uils,  which  have  been  used  with  considerable  reg-      -Q  p     j 

s—~  *^i  /  ,tX^i-J-^jL- 

ularity  for  the  past(§§)  years,  were  previously  used 
on  the  fmissfoT\hr^ plan.  The  approach  to  regu- 
larity, so  far  as  we  have/  may  be  attributed  to  the 
growth  of  a  class  of  professional  proof  readers,  and 
it  is  to  them  that  we  owe  the  correctness  of  mod- 
ern printing.^  More  er/ors  have  been  found  in  the 
Bible  than  in  any  other  one  work.  For  many  gen^,^. 
orations  it  was  frequently  the  case  that  Bibles* 
were  brought  out  stealthily,  from  fear  of  govern- 
£Jmental  interference.  /\  They  were  frequently 
printed  from  imperfect  texts,  and  were  often  mod- 
ified to  meet  the  views  of  those  who  publised 


s 


them.The  story  is  related  that  a  certain  woman 
in  Germany,  who  '.vac  the  wife  of  a  printer,  a»4 
had  become  disgusted  with  the  continual  asser- 
tion/o^  t h cfsu pcriority} of  man  over  woman  which 
she  had  heard,  hurried  into  the  composing  room 
while  her  husband_  was  at  supper  and  altered  a 
sentence  in  thev  I£ible,v'which1,he  was^rinting,  so 
that  it  read^ar^instead  ofAHerr,Athus  making 
the  verse  read  "And  he  shall  be  thy  fool "  instead 
of  "^tnd  he  shall  be  thy/ord."  The  word^not. 
was  omitted  by  Barker,  the  Xing's  printer  in  En- 


STYLE-BOOK   OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH  39 


The  Possessive  Case 

Prepare,  by  consulting  a  good  grammar,  the  theory  of  the 
possessive  case.  Where  to  put  the  apostrophe  is  very  puzzling 
to  many  pupils.  They  do  not  seem  to  grasp  the  ordinary  rules  or 
else  in  haste  miss  the  application.  The  following  method  has  been 
used  with  success  :  The  word  to  assume  the  possessive  form  is 
"  ladies."  Let  the  student  write  the  singular  and  when  this  is  done, 
write  the  plural  form  of  the  word.  Now  note  that  the  position 
of  the  apostrophe  is  next,  followed  by  an  "  s."  If  the  plural  ends 
in  "  s  "  another  "  s  "  is  not  needed.  The  trouble  with  pupils 
consists  in  not  getting  the  correct  plural  form.  The  object  in 
writing  the  word  in  the  singular  is  to  lead  up  to  the  correct 
spelling  of  the  plural.  The  plural  spelling  found  the  apostrophe 
immediately  follows.  This  method  is  very  effective  is  securing  the 
possessive  form  for  irregular  plurals  as  "  men,"  "  children,"  etc. 

Figures  and  Signs  • 

In  treating  figures  and  signs  remember  that  harmony  is  essential. 
When  a  figure  is  used  it  should  always  be  preceded  by  the  abbre- 
viated form  "  No.,"  as  in  "  No.  2."  When  the  number  is  spelled 
out  the  word  also  should  be,  as  in  "  number  four."  When 
abbreviated,  "  number  "  is  always  to  be  capitalized.  The  same 
may  be  said  of  percentage  indication.  Figure  is  to  be  followed  by 
sign,  as  "  10%  "  ;  spelled-out  number  followed  by  word-form, 
as  "  ten  per  cent."  The  incorrect  writing  of  "  per  cent."  is  the 
commonest  error  in  business  English,  as  pupils  insist  on  writing 
"  cent."  without  the  period.  There  is  no  exception  to  the  rule 
that  a  word  abbreviated  at  the  end  must  be  followed  by  a  period. 
Explain  that  "  cent."  is  a  contraction  of  "  centum,"  the  word  for 
100  ;  M.  for  "  mille,"  1,000. 

Review  Questions  for  Chapter  III 

(NOTE  :  In  a  few  cases  it  will  be  necessary  for  the  pupil  to  consult 
the  appendix  or  a  good  dictionary  to  obtain  answers  to  the  following 
questions.) 

4— (400) 


40  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 

1  Should  "  ante  meridian  "  (before  noon)  and  "  post  meridian  " 
(after  noon)  when  abbreviated  be  written  "  A.  M."  and  "  P.  M." 
or  "  a.  m."  and  "  p.  m."  ? 

2  Do  you  capitalize  "  st."  and  "  ave."  ? 

3  Do  you  capitalize  the  seasons  of  the  year  ?     Is  the  sign  of 
the  possessive  (')  case  frequently  omitted  in  geographical  names  ? 

4  Do  you  capitalize  the  days  of  the  week  and  the  months  ? 

5  When  an  article  is  referred  to  as  class  A  or  exhibit  B,  or  persons 
referred  to  as  A,  B,  or  C,  are  such  letters  capitalized  and  followed 
by  a  period  ? 

6  Is  "  sir  "  capitalized  when  not  used  as  a  title : 

Ex. :  Are  you  of  age,  sir  ? 
How  do  you  capitalize  :   pope  pius  the  tenth,  charles  the  first  ? 

7  How  do  you  capitalize  "  ms."  and  "  mss."  meaning  manu- 
script and  manuscripts  ? 

8  When  do  you  not  capitalize  "  bible  "  and  "  scriptures  "  ? 

9  What  is  the  rule  for  capitalizing  common  nouns  ? 

10  Do   you   capitalize   such   words   as   Congress,    Legislature, 
Supreme  Court  ? 

1 1  What  is  the  rule  for  capitalizing : 

14  doz.  Hats,  Coats,  and  Gloves  ? 

12  Which  of  the  following  words  not  capitalized  should  be  ? 

college  of  Physicians  and  surgeons 

Alabama  is  a  state  in  the  south 

In  the  western  State  of  ohio  corn  is  raised,  and  in  other 

parts  of  the  west  wheat 
John  Semp,  b.  A. 
He  speaks  Spanish  and  french 
Send  2  Doz.  hats  next  friday,  Jan.  2 
We  refer  you  to  the  china  department 

13  The  English  word  "  of  "  in  Pronunciation. 

German  is  "  von  "  fone 

French  is  "  de  "  deh 

Italian  is  "  di  "  dee 

Spanish  is  "  de  "  day 
When  are  they  not  to  be  capitalized  when  used  before  a  proper 

noun  ?      State    when    they  should  be    capitalized    and    give    an 

illustration. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  41 


14  How  do  you  punctuate  a  quotation  within  a  quotation  ? 

Ans.  :   With  single  apostrophes. 

15  When  does  a  paragraph  beginning  with  quotation  marks 
not  necessarily  close  with  quotation  marks  ? 

Where  quoted  matter  is  divided  into  paragraphs  the  first  one 
only  has  the  opening  apostrophes  ;  the  last  paragraph  only  has 
the  closing  ones. 

16  When  are  the  quotation  marks  placed  after  the  question 
mark  ?     When  before  ? 

Quotation  marks  are  placed  after  the  ?  at  end  of  sentence  only 
when  the  whole  sentence  is  quoted. 

17  Are  the  quotation  marks  "  ever  written  before  the  comma 
or  the  period  (",  ".)  ?     No. 

18  Are  words  contracted  at  the  end  always  followed  by  periods  ? 
Give  five  samples. 

19  When  may  we  contract  "  Company  "  and  "  Manufacturing  "? 

20  How   are   words   contracted   otherwise   than   at   the   end  ? 
Give  five  examples. 

21  If  not  a  period  what  other  point  do  you  use  in  contracting 
a  word  ?     Give  three  examples. 

22  How  do  you  contract  "  telephone,"  "  Exchange,"  "  away," 
"  1912,"  "  it  is"  ? 

23  May  the  apostrophe  sometimes  be  omitted  medially  as  in 
"  Mfg.,",  "  Bldg."  ? 

24  May  the  apostrophe  ever  be  omitted  at  the  beginning  of  a 
contracted  word  ? 

25  Why  in  typewriting  may  not  the  months  of  the  year  be 
contracted  ? 

26  Are  abbreviations  permitted  in  handwriting  ? 

27  When  does  a  word  abbreviated  medially  require  a  period, 
Give  three  examples. 

28  Which  words  not  capitalized  when  spelled  out  are  always 
to  be  capitalized  when  abbreviated  ? 

29  What  word  when  abbreviated  is  written  all  capitals  ? 

30  What  does  "  pp.  21-25  "  mean  ? 

31  Why  are  both  correct  :    "  The  Acme  Mfg.  Co."  and  "  The 
Acme  Manufacturing  Company  "  ? 


42  STYLE-BOOK  OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

32  What  does  "  re  "  mean  ? 

33  Which  of  the  following  are  correct  ? 

10  per  cent.  ;   ten  per  centum 
ten  per  %  ;    10  per  % 
10%  ;   ten  per  cent. 

34  Why  is  M.  (meaning  1,000)  followed  by  a  period  ? 

35  What  months  are  not  abbreviated  in  handwriting  ? 

Exercises 

1  Punctuate  and  capitalize  the  following  paragraph  : 

The  cheapening  of  any  article  in  common  use  almost  immediately 
results  in  a  largely  increased  demand  for  that  article  take  the 
case  of  shoes  for  instance  the  introduction  of  machinery  for  doing 
every  element  of  the  work  which  was  formerly  done  by  hand  has 
resulted  in  making  shoes  at  a  fraction  of  their  former  labor  cost 
and  in  selling  them  so  cheaply  that  now  almost  every  man  woman 
and  child  in  the  working  classes  buys  one  or  two  pairs  of  shoes  per 
year  and  wears  shoes  all  the  time  whereas  formerly  each  workman 
bought  perhaps  one  pair  of  shoes  every  five  years  and  went  barefoot 
most  of  the  time  wearing  shoes  only  as  a  luxury  or  as  a  matter  of 
the  sternest  necessity  in  spite  of  the  enormously  increased  output 
of  shoes  per  workman  which  has  come  with  shoe  machinery  the 
demand  for  shoes  has  so  increased  that  there  are  relatively  more 
men  working  in  the  shoe  industry  now  than  ever  before 

2  Capitalize  properly  the  following  sentence  : 

in  the  preceding  pages  are  given  directions  for  the  capitalization 
or  non-capitalization  of  the  following  words  and  terms :  new 
york  assembly,  pasteurized  milk,  doctor  of  laws,  11.  d.,  state's 
evidence,  manila  street,  roman  type,  hawthorne's  the  house  of  the 
seven  gables,  count  von  moltke,  a.  m.,  c.  o.  d.,  pension  office, 
macadamized,  bay  state,  british  army. 

3  Turn  to  the  test-letters  on  pp.  59-60,  92,  111,  124-6,  131-4, 
and  mark  corrections  as  if  reading  proof. 


CHAPTER   IV 
SOCIAL    AND    FRIENDLY   LETTERS 

T  is  hardly  necessary  to  give  any  directions  with  reference  to  letters 
to  friends.  Everybody  writes  such  letters,  and  as  a  rule  writes 
them  as  well  as  they  need  be  written.  Unconsciously,  also,  most 
persons  conform  to  the  true  ideal  of  such  writings — that  they  are 
chats,  more  or  less  intimate.  Some  of  the  most  charming  literature 
to  be  found  in  the  English  language  takes  the  form  of  letters  of 
this  type,  and  for  a  fine  series  of  entertaining  examples  the  student 
may  be  referred  to  collections  like  E.  V.  Lucas's  "  The  Friendly 
Art." 

Social  Correspondence 

On  the  large  subject  of  social  correspondence,  involving  the  correct 
use  of  visiting-cards,  invitations,  size  and  quality  and  color  and 
ornamentation  of  stationery  but  little  can  be  said  in  a  book  of  a 
business  nature.  Special  study  is  needed  to  qualify  fully  in  this 
regard. 

Many  business  men  conduct  some,  if  not  all,  their  social  corre- 
spondence through  office  stenographers.  This  makes  a  knowledge  of 
social  forms  necessary  to  all  secretaries.  They  should  know  the 
sizes,  colors,  styles  of  engraving,  shapes,  texture,  etc.,  of  cards, 
envelopes,  letter-sheets,  etc.,  peculiar  to  each  sex.  As  the  style 
varies  widely  from  year  to  year,  it  is  better  to  seek  such  information 
direct  from  a  high-class  stationer  than  to  depend  upon  a  book  of 
any  but  very  recent  date. 

There  are  forms  in  social  correspondence,  however,  similar  to 
those  used  in  business  writing,  that  seldom  change  from  year  to 
year.  Such  are  the  position  of  date-line,  address,  introduction, 
salutation,  style  of  women's  signatures,  punctuation,  use  of  titles, 
etc. 

Three  sizes  of  sheets  are  generally  used  by  women.  The  first, 
5J  in.  by  4}  in.,  is  used  for  short  notes,  congratulations,  regrets, 
and  condolences.  These  are  not  single  sheets,  like  those  used  in 
business,  but  four-paged  or  double  sheets. 

43 


44  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

The  second  size,  6J  in.  by  5J  in.,  is  for  all  social  notes,  informal 
invitations,  or  hurriedly  written  missives. 

The  third  or  letter  size,  6f  in.  by  5J  in.,  is  for  general 
correspondence,  and  is  the  most  frequently  used. 

Besides  the  three  foregoing  standard  sizes  there  are  others  up  to 
7  in.  by  5f  in.  less  used,  but  the  one  permanently  good  style  is  the 
plain,  thick,  white  note-paper,  folded  square,  with  envelope  to 
match. 

Social,  unlike  business  stationery  (which  must  conform  to  the 
requirements  of  filing-cabinets),  may  be  greatly  varied  in  design  to 
suit  individual  taste.  Some  women  of  good  taste  prefer  to  select  a 
certain  style  and  to  adhere  to  it  despite  the  changes  of  fashion  ; 
which  goes  to  show  that  the  social  style,  within  certain  forms,  is 
almost  wholly  a  matter  of  individual  caprice.  The  oblong  shape 
is  considered  more  generally  correct,  although  a  square  one  of  medium 
size  is  ever  proper.  Kid-finished,  unruled,  unglazed  paper  of  strong 
texture  is  the  standard  pattern. 

Punctuation  in  informal  social  correspondence  seems  to  be  an 
art  either  lost  or  never  applied.  Entire  freedom  from  scholarly 
restraint  in  penning  friendly  letters  appears  to  be  permissible. 
A  truly  social  letter  may  resemble  a  pleasant  little  talk  and  be 
quite  as  informal  in  composition.  One  would  infer,  after  examining 
many  letters  of  this  truly  informal  class,  that  the  following  simple 
rule  in  punctuation  would  suffice :  When  in  doubt  use  a  dash  ; 
when  not  in  doubt  use  no  point  at  all.  This  rule,  of  course,  must  not 
be  taken  too  seriously,  and  does  not  apply  to  the  formal  part  of 
social  correspondence. 

Forms  of  address  follow  well-settled  rules.  "  My  dear  "  is  con- 
sidered more  formal  than  "  Dear,"  though  the  contrary  prevails 
abroad.  A  slight  acquaintance  is  addressed  as  "My  dear  Mr. 
Saunders."  "  Dear  Madam  "  conforms  to  "  My  dear  Sir  "  in  being 
the  most  formal  term  of  address  to  women  ;  while  "  Dear  Miss," 
without  the  name,  should  not  be  used  at  all.  The  forms  of  address 
of  officials  and  of  the  clergy,  Catholic  and  Protestant,  are  to  be  found 
on  pp.  18-20. 

The  address  of  the  person  who  writes  the  letter,  if  not  engraved 
at  the  top,  is  generally  written  at  the  left  below  the  signature. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  45 

Women    do    not   use   the   title    "  Mrs."    nor   initials   in   social 
correspondence,  but  write  out  the  name  in  full : 
Mary  Ellison  Bender. 

In  business  letters,  or  when  writing  to  one  who  does  not  know 
the  husband's  name,  it  is  customary  to  add  in  parentheses  the 
married  title  and  the  husband's  name. 

Mary  Ellison  Price. 
(Mrs.  James  B.  Price.) 

An  unmarried  woman,  to  distinguish  herself  from  a  widow  when 
addressing  a  stranger,  writes  (Miss)  in  parentheses. 
(Miss)  Josephine  Carroll. 

Doctors'  wives  may  not  use  their  husbands'  titles  unless  they 
also  possess  the  degree.  Professional  women  use  the  same  style 
as  men  similarly  titled. 

A  divorced  woman  when  retaining  her  former  husband's  name  adds 
her  own  surname. 

Carrie  Hendricks  Wall. 
(Mrs.  Carrie  Hendricks  Wall.) 

When  divorced  women  resume  their  maiden  names  they  are  still 
considered  as  married,  or  having  been,  and  may  not  use  the  title 
Miss.  Thus,  if  Anna  Jane  Towne  marries  Harold  B.  Wakefield 
and  later  resumes  her  maiden  name  she  is  to  be  addressed  as  Mrs. 
Anna  Jane  Towne. 

One  uses  "  Cordially  yours,"  or  "  Yours  very  sincerely,"  in 
closing  letters  and  notes.  It  is  extremely  bad  form  to  omit  "  yours." 

Taste  governs  the  order  of  pages.  To  begin  on  the  first,  turn  to 
the  last,  and  then  finish  across  the  third  and  second  is  proper,  as  the 
first  is  turned  on  the  blotter,  while  the  fourth  is  being  written. 

Notes  may  be  begun  on  the  first  and  ended  on  the  fourth,  but  a 
formal  note  or  invitation  should  cover  the  first  page  only,  and  not 
go  over  to  the  second. 

A  note  of  extreme  intimacy  may  be  written  inside  the  sheet  on 
the  second  and  third  pages. 

The  letter  should  be  folded  evenly  to  fit  the  envelope.  A  mis- 
matched envelope  is  unpardonable  ;  also  are  ruled  paper  and  a 
half-sheet. 


46  STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

If  extra  space  is  needed  an  entire  new  sheet  must  be  used,  even  for 
a  few  words. 

A  letter  with  margins  rilled  with  parting  scrawls  has  a 
decidedly  ill-bred  appearance. 

Addressed  or  monogramed  paper  looks  defaced  if  dated  at  the 
head  of  the  page.     The  date  should  therefore  be  added  after  the 
signature,  at  the  lower  left  corner,  and  should  be  written  out  : 
August  twenty-first. 

Women  should  carefully  observe  the  forms  used  in  business  cor- 
respondence, and  not  violate  them  by  using  social  methods.  An 
error  in  the  one  case  is  just  as  improper  as  in  the  other.  Women 
should  constantly  bear  in  mind  the  difference  between  social  and 
business  correspondence.  The  free  and  easy,  unmethodical,  inac- 
curate style  of  writing  to  friends  causes  embarrassments  of  which 
business  houses  long  and  bitterly  complain. 

Many  women  neglect  to  indicate  their  social  status  by  their 
signatures,  so  that  a  correspondent  is  at  loss  whether  to  address 
them  as  Miss  or  Mrs.  A  prominent  business  house  deals  with  this 
class  of  delinquents  as  follows : 

Where  there  is  the  slightest  indication  in  the  letter,  or  any 
knowledge  in  possession  of  the  firm,  that  the  signature  is  that  of  a 
married  or  a  single  woman,  she  is  to  be  addressed  as  such.  Where 
such  indication  or  knowledge  is  wholly  lacking  the  correspondent 
simply  takes  a  chance  one  way  or  the  other  until  the  woman  finally 
awakes  to  the  fact  that  it  is  unfortunate  but  nevertheless  true  that 
the  100,000,000  people  of  this  nation  are  so  interested  in  their  own 
affairs  that  they  have  the  bad  taste  not  to  keep  informed  of  her 
particular  and  perhaps  variable  status  in  the  marriage  relation. 

This  hit-or-miss  method  of  handling  uncertain  signatures  soon 
clarifies  the  situation  without  necessarily  giving  offense.  It  is 
better  for  a  correspondent  to  be  consistent  in  one  error  than  by  for- 
getfulness,  or  lack  of  method,  or  dislike  to  look  up  former  corre- 
spondence, to  address  a  woman  alternately  as  Miss  and  Mrs.  When  a 
business  house  finally  receives  the  correct  title  it  is  at  once  noted 
in  the  address -book  for  future  reference. 

Occasionally  there  are  prominent  women  who  are  persistent 
beyond  belief  in  demanding  that  their  names  be  written  just  so  and 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH  47 

so  and  in  no  other  way.     A  list  of  these  names  should  be  kept  at 
hand  and  the  ladies'  wishes  acceded  to. 

Formal  and  Informal  Writings 

Though  the  absence  of  fixed  rules  is  characteristic  of  the  informal 
element  in  social  writings,  adherence  to  accepted  forms  is  strictly 
necessary  to  that  formal  part  composed  of  cards  of  invitation, 
acceptances,  declinations,  announcements,  letters  of  condolence, 
introduction,  etc.  These  are  written  in  the  third  person,  and  have 
no  heading,  introduction,  or  complimentary  close.  The  year  also 
is  generally  omitted.  Answers  to  such  documents  should  carefully 
follow  the  same  form  so  as  to  indicate  a  perfect  understanding  of 
the  -object  of  the  occasion,  the  time,  and  the  place.  When  not 
pen-written  such  documents  are  generally  engraved  in  script  or  some 
fancy  design  in  type  face.  Formal  invitations  are  engraved. 

MR.  AND  MRS.  HOWARD  ROCKLAND 
request  the  pleasure  of 

company    on    Tuesday    evening    the    fourteenth 

of     July     at     half-past     eight     o'clock 

Six  hundred  and  twelve 

Madison  Avenue. 
Music. 

The  acceptance  and  the  declination  should  read  as  follows  : 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Borden  accept  with  pleasure  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Howard  Rockland's  kind  invitation  for  Tuesday  evening 
July  fourteenth. 

621  Madison  Avenue, 

Monday,   June  fourth. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Borden  regret  that  a  previous  engage- 
ment prevents  their  accepting  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howard  Rockland's 
kind  invitation  for  Tuesday  evening,  July  fourteenth. 

621  Madison  Avenue, 

Monday,   June  fourth* 


48  STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Letters  of  Condolence  and  Congratulation 

Of  all  letters  these  should  be  the  most  informal,  and  for  that 
reason  they  are  the  hardest  to  compose.  Deep  emotion  clogs  the 
well  of  expression  and  leaves  one  almost  dumb.  The  tone  of  voice 
and  the  features  easily  express  grief,  but  it  is  almost  a  useless  effort 
to  try  to  render  sentiment  into  cold  words.  Yet  the  person  deeply 
afflicted  needs  our  sympathy,  so  we  should  strive  in  a  few  simple 
words  to  convey  to  him  the  fact  that  we  suffer  as  well  as  he. 

Letter  of  Condolence 
Dear  Mr.  Smith  : 

Accept  my  deepest  sympathy  for  you  in  your  bereavement. 
Mrs.  Smith  was  one  of  my  dearest  friends  and  her  death  has 
caused  me  much  sorrow.     Her  companionship  was  one  of 
my  finest  treasures,  and  her  charming  character  and 
delightful  personality  will  be  sadly  missed  by  all  who  knew 
her.     I  can  find  no  adequate  words  to  express  my  grief. 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

Congratulatory  writings  should  also  be  spontaneous  and  free 
from  restraint.  There  is  no  set  style  for  either  kind  of  letters  ; 
they  belong  to  the  truly  informal  class  of  social  letters  and  should 
express  in  lively  style  the  true  sentiment  of  the  occasion. 

Sometimes  it  becomes  necessary  to  send  a  letter  of  condolence 
in  the  cause  not  of  the  social  courtesies  but  of  the  courtesy  of 
business,  which  should  never  be  neglected.  The  following  letter 
may  serve  as  an  example  of  such  correspondence  : 

20  Center  Street,  Columbus,  O. 

February  14,   1914. 
Mr.  William  Stend, 
Jane  Street, 

Saugerties,  N.  Y. 
My  dear  Mr.  Stend  : 

I  learn  with  regret  of  the  death  of  your  father,  long  an 
Agent  for  this  Company,  and  beg  to  extend  the  sympathy  of  the 
officers  of  the  Concord  to  you  in  your  bereavement. 

Up  to  the  time  of  his  incapacitation  for  work,  your  father 
gave  us  faithful  and  efficient  service,  and  his  passing  away  will 
be  deplored  by  his  former  associates  in  the  field,  and  by  those  at  the 
Home  Office  who  had  to  do  with  him  and  his  work. 

With  kind  personal  regards, 

Believe  me  to  be, 

Sincerely  yours, 

HENRY  KING, 
President. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  49 


Formal  Invitation  to  Dinner 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  S.  Heaton  request  the  pleasure  of  Mr.  Frank 
Stockton's  company  at  dinner  on  January  ninth  at  seven 
o'clock. 


Formal  Acceptance 

Mr.  Frank  Stockton  accepts  with  pleasure  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  S. 
Heaton's  kind  invitation  to  dinner  on  January  ninth. 


Informal  Invitation  to  Dinner 

225  Classon  Ave.,  January  5,   1914. 
Dear  Frank  : 

We  are  going  to  have  a  jolly  little  dinner  on  Thursday, 
January  ninth  at  seven  o'clock,  and  particularly  want  you  to 
be  with  us. 

Your  friends, 

Mr.  Frank  Stockton, 
351   Emerson  Place. 


Informal  Acceptance  to  Dinner 

351   Emerson  Place,   January  6,   1914. 
Dear  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heaton  : 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  say  that  I  shall  certainly  be  present 
at  your  dinner  party  on  January  ninth. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  S.  Heaton, 
225  Classon  Avenue. 


There  is  so  much  detail  in  the  make-up  and  the  use  of  wedding 
cards,  announcements,  visiting  cards,  etc.,  that  the  only  safe  guide 
is  to  refer  directly  to  a  reliable  book  on  etiquette. 


50  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Letters  of  Introduction 

A  person  gives  a  letter  to  another  for  the  purpose  of  introducing 
him  to  a  third.  This  letter  should  contain  a  favorable  description 
of  the  bearer  and  give  some  account  of  the  object  in  making  the 
introduction.  It  is  understood,  of  course,  that  the  relation  of 
friendship  between  the  writer  and  the  final  receiver  of  a  letter  of 
introduction  is  intimate,  otherwise  it  could  not  be  expected  that 
the  bearer  would  be  cordially  received.  One  must  also  be  reason- 
ably certain  of  the  existence  of  a  bond  of  common  interest  between 
the  persons  thus  introduced  ;  otherwise,  lacking  a  mutual  basis  for 
continuing,  the  acquaintanceship  would  be  fruitless  and  annoying. 

The  person  to  be  introduced  should  be  instructed  carefully  to 
choose  the  proper  time  to  present  the  letter.  The  recipient,  being 
under  obligation  to  show  the  same  friendly  intent  and  consideration 
to  the  bearer  as  would  be  due  to  the  writer  himself,  would  feel 
embarrassed  were  the  letter  presented  at  an  unseemly  hour — when 
especially  engaged  in  important  business,  for  instance. 

A  letter  of  introduction  should  be  acknowledged  as  a  matter  of 
courtesy  among  friends. 

Business  letters  of  introduction  may  be  typewritten  ;  social  ones 
generally  are  not,  but  may  be.  In  fact,  the  use  of  the  typewriter 
has  become  so  general  and  the  volume  of  social  correspondence 
so  great  that  there  is  a  strong  tendency  toward  typing  much  of  the 
informal  part  of  social  correspondence. 

Business  Letter  of  Introduction 

New  York,  April  10,  1909. 
Mr.  Henry  Toombes, 
Washington, 
Oregon. 
Dear  Mr.  Toombes  : 

I  have  pleasure  in  introducing  to  you  Mr.  James 
Allison,  a  graduate  of  Columbia  University.  He  has  just  finished  his 
horticultural  studies  and  desires  to  begin  practical  business  life  along 
fruit  and  farming  lines.  His  character  is  above  criticism  in  every 
way,  and  I  am  sure  you  will  find  him  a  congenial  acquaintance. 
Any  assistance  you  may  render  him  will  be  greatly  appreciated 
by  me. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  51 

The    letter   should    be    presented    unsealed.     In    the    left-hand 
lower     corner     of     the     envelope     should     appear     the     word  : 
"  Introducing,"  and  the  name  of  the  person  to  be  introduced,  as 
Introducing 

MR.  JAMES  ALLISON 

For  answering  business  letters  of  introduction  use  the  regular 
business-letter  form.     Present  unsealed. 

Social  Letter  of  Introduction 

54  East  10th  Street, 
Washington,  D.   C.,  Jan.  5,  1913. 
Dear  Mr.  Townsend  : 

The  bearer  of  this  letter,  Mr.  Henri  de 

Rochemont,  is  an  old  friend  of  mine.     He  is  going  to  England  on 
behalf  of  the  librarian  of  Congress  to  collect  certain  MSS.  referring 
to  early  English  printing  and  old  editions  of  the  Bible  ;    also  to 
inspect  Catalogue  No.   1.     As  he  is  a  total  stranger  in  your  country 
I  should  greatly  appreciate  your  assistance  in  facilitating  his 
introduction  into  such  quarters  that  he  may  desire.     Mr.  de 
Rochemont  is  a  gentleman  of  fine  character  and  of  great  literary 
attainments,  and  I  am  therefore  certain  that  his  acquaintance  with 
you  will  amply  reward  your  courtesy  in  aiding  him. 
With  best  regards,  I  remain 
Yours  sincerely, 

THOMAS  TURNER. 
Mr,  George  Townsend, 
85  Strand, 
London. 

Acknowledgment 

85  Strand, 

London,   Eng.,  January  30,   1913. 
Dear  Mr.  Turner  : 

Thank  you  very  kindly  for  introducing 

Mr.  de  Rochemont.     I  find  we  have  many  tastes  in  common  on 
literary  matters,  and  I  am  sure  to  be  greatly  benefited  by  the 
acquaintance  of  so  learned  a  gentleman. 

Yours  sincerely, 
Mr.  Thomas  Turner, 

54  East  10th  Street, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


52  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 

When  it  is  not  convenient  to  write  a  letter,  a  person  may  be 
introduced  by  the  means  of  one's  visiting  or  business  card  with  his 
name  written  on  it.  This  card  serves  as  a  letter  of  introduction. 
Only  in  case  of  haste  or  of  some  other  delaying  circumstance  should 
the  card  be  used  in  social  introductions.  It  is  far  more  frequently 
used  in  business  circles. 

Review  Questions  for  Chapter  IV 

1  Where  may  full  information  be  obtained  as  to  the  latest 
forms  used  ? 

2  Why   is   a   knowledge   of   social   forms   of   correspondence 
necessary  to  every  stenographer  ? 

3  What  forms  are  regarded  as  generally  fixed  ? 

4  How  many  different  sizes  of  letter-sheets  may  be  used  ? 

5  For  what  use  is  each  size  ? 

6  What  size  and  quality  are  permanently  in  good  form  ? 

7  Why  should  all  business  stationery,  as  a  rule,  be  of  uniform 
size  ? 

8  In  what  way  does  the  quality  of  material  differ  in  social 
correspondence  from  that  used  in  business  correspondence  ? 

9  Why   is   carelessness   in   punctuation   more   pardonable   in 
social  than  in  business  writing  ? 

10  Why  should  the  greatest  care  be  taken  in  spelling  ? 

11  What  is  meant  by  "  formal  "  and  "  informal  "  in  addresses  ? 

12  What  peculiarity  do  you  see  in  the  use  of  "  My  dear  Sir  :  " 
and  "  My  dear  Mr.  Brown  :  "  as  applied  to  a  slight  acquaintance  ? 

13  When  do  women  use  or  not  use  the  title  "  Mrs."  in  their 
signatures  ? 

14  When  may  women  use  titles  ? 

15  How  should  a  divorced  woman  be  addressed  ? 

16  What   part   of  the  complimentary  close  should   never  be 
omitted  ? 

17  Is  there  any  regular  order  in  writing    from  one    page  to 
another  in  a  social  letter  ? 

18  Are    ruled    paper    and    unmatched    envelopes    permitted  ? 
Why  not  ? 

19  What  does  scrawling  writing  around  the  margins  of  the 
letter -sheet  indicate  ? 

20  Why  do  business  houses  complain  when  women  carelessly 
use  social  forms  in  business  letters  ? 

21  How  would  you  address  a  woman  who  neglected  to  indicate 
her  social  status  in  the  signature  to  a  letter  ? 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  53 


22  Why  should  you  be  careful  to  word  an  acceptance  of  an 
invitation  so  that  it  may  be  almost  a  duplicate  of  the  invitation  ? 

23  Describe  why  the  composition  of  letters  of  condolence  and 
congratulation  differs  from  that  of  others. 

24  If  you  were  not  intimately  acquainted  with  a  person,  would 
you  give  him  a  letter  of  introduction  to  one  of  your  close  friends  ? 
Why  not  ? 

25  Supposing  you  could  hardly  refuse  such  letter,  how  would 
you  word  it  as  compared  with  the  wording  of  one  for  an  intimate 
friend  ? 

26  Write  out  in  full  why  you  would  or  would  not  be  justified 
in  introducing  by  letter  one  person  to  another  ? 

27  What  is  expected  of  a  person  to  whom  another  is  introduced 
by  letter  ? 

28  When  should  such  letters  be  presented  ? 

29  Why  are  they  not  sealed  ? 

30  When  may  they  be  typewritten  ? 

31  What  particular  words  do  they  have,  and  where  placed  on 
the  envelope  ? 

32  How  does  a  business  letter  of  introduction  differ  from  a 
social  one  ? 

33  When  may  a  personal  card  be  used  to  introduce  ? 

34  What  is  an  impersonal  letter  of  introduction  ? 

35  What   peculiarities   of   construction   does   it    have   as   dis- 
tinguished from  others  ? 

36  Can  you  give  a  reason  why  a  firm  may  not  recommend  by 
letter,  but  permit  reference  by  other  means  ? 

37  Where  is  the  position  of  the  address  of  the  person  written 
in  a  social  letter  ?     In  a  business  letter  ? 

38  Are  the   equivalents   of   the  titles   Mr.,  Mrs.,  and   Miss   in 

French  (M.f  Mme.,  Mile.)  ; 
German  (Herr,  Frau,  Fraulein)  ; 
Spanish  (Sr.,  Sra.,  Sna.)  ; 
Italian  (Sr.,  Sra.,  Sna.)  ; 
used  instead  of  the  English  form  in  English  correspondence  ? 

39  To  what  is  a  letter  to  a  friend  equivalent  ? 

40  What   are   some   points   of   similarity  between   a  business 
letter  and  a  social  or  friendly  letter  ?     Some  points  of  dissimilarity  ? 

Exercises 

1  (a)  As  Mrs.  Henry  T.  Stead,  195  South  Evergreen,  Los 
Angeles,  Calif.,  write  a  dinner  invitation  for  Tuesday  evening, 
the  17th  of  February,  to  Mr.  Thomas  Z.  Hutchings,  105  South 
Evergreen,  same  city. 


54  STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


(b)  Write  an  acceptance  of  the  above. 

2  Write  an  account  to   a  friend  in  Chicago  of  how  you  spent 
your  Christmas  vacation. 

3  The  father  or  brother  of  a  friend  has  died.     Write  him  or 
her  a  letter  of  condolence. 

4  Mr.  B.  L.  Holland,  whom  wou  have  known  for  several  years, 
is  about  to  visit  Jacksonville,  111.     Write  a  letter  of  introduction 
for  him  to  a  friend  in  that  city,  220  Lockwood  Place. 

5  Write  a  letter  of  congratulation  to  Miss  Louisa  A.  Lincroft, 
1800  Central  Avenue,  Tampa,  Florida,  who  has  just  won  a  prize  of 
$100  at  the  University  of  Florida. 

6  Write  an  invitation  (suitable  for  printing  on  a  small  card) 
for  a  class  function — a  class  day,  a  sociable,  or  the  like. 

7  (a)  Issue   an   informal — rather   humorous— invitation    for    a 
Hallowe'en  or  surprise  party. 

(b)  Write  an  acceptance  for  such  an  invitation. 

8  You  have  just  had  two  interesting  experiences — you  have 
seen  an  exciting  play  and  while  on  a  trip  you  have  passed  through 
some  wonderful  scenery.     Write  a  letter  to  your  mother  (or  some 
other  near  relative),  who  is  away  from  home  on  a  visit,  telling  about 
these  experiences. 

9  A.    S.    Hoffman,    80   New   Jersey    Street,    Wheeling,    West 
Virginia,  has  just  moved  into  a  new  home.       Frame  a  letter  of 
invitation  from  him  to  his  cousin  asking  her  to  take  this  opportunity 
for  a  visit.     His  cousin,  Mrs.  Margaret  Stephenson,  a  widow,  lives 
at  218  Twelfth  Street,  Omaha,  Nebraska. 

10  Decline   an   invitation   you   have   received   to   officiate   as 
judge  at  a  debate  between  the  Entre  Nous  Club  and  the  No  Name 
Club.     Address   the   Secretary   of   the   former,    Margaret    White, 
290  Arlington  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 


CHAPTER  V 
THE    CHOICE    OF    WORDS    IN    LETTERS 

YOUNG  pupils,  as  a  rule,  do  not  have  a  large  and  varied  vocabulary  ; 
so  it  would  seem  rather  useless  to  advise  them  carefully  to  dis- 
criminate in  selecting  the  words  for  sentences.  To  prohibit  the 
average  commercial-class  or  high-school  student  the  use  of  words 
of  Latin  or  Greek  derivation  would  not  be  much  more  effective 
than  to  disallow  Sanskrit  roots.  The  best  that  can  be  done  is  to 
advise  the  use  of  the  shortest  of  two  or  more  words  having  the  same 
or  nearly  the  same  sense,  as  shown  later.  Also  a  word  of  advice 
may  be  added  to  students  of  all  characters,  and  particularly  to 
students  doing  commercial  work,  to  enlarge  their  general  reading 
as  much  as  possible.  The  wider  the  reading,  and  the  better  the 
character  of  that  reading,  the  more  likely  it  is  a  good  style  in 
letter-writing  will  result.  A  good  style  is  an  easy,  simple  one  ;  and  it 
will  come  naturally  with  the  frequent  reading  of  books  by  men  like 
John  Bunyan,  Dean  Swift,  Addison,  Washington  Irving,  Thackeray, 
and  others  of  equal  caliber. 

When  a  writer  is  obliged  to  use  objectionable  terms,  such  as, 
"  make  good,"  "  deliver  the  goods,"  "  up  against  it,"  etc.,  quotation 
marks  should  be  used  to  inclose  them.  Pupils  should  also  be 
instructed  to  write  the  accents  with  the  pen  when  necessary  on 
foreign  words,  but  not  to  use  foreign  words  under  any 
circumstances  unless  no  English  equivalents  are  available. 

It  is  not  wise  to  be  too  insistent  on  the  correct  form  for  compound 
words,  as  there  is  now  a  tendency  in  business  writing  to  spread 
compounds  into  two  independent  words  rather  than  to  unite  them 
with  a  hyphen.  The  reason  for  this  usage  is  that  hyphenated  words 
do  not  readily  lend  themselves  for  the  purpose  of  display  and  of 
capitalizing  when  used  in  circulars  or  other,  advertisement  writing. 
Hyphenated  words,  however,  that  are  never  written  separately 
should  always  be  written  properly.  Such  words  are :  by-laws, 
to-day,  to-morrow,  good-by,  to-night,  etc. 

Note  the  waste  and  effusiveness  in  the  following  sentences  and 
the  shorter  and  better  forms  : 

55 

5— (400) 


56  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Pompous  Style  : 

The  inexplicable  and  mysterious  affair  created  unbounded  and 
unusual  attention  in  the  community. 

The  strange  affair  caused  widespread  attention  in  the  town. 

Circus  Language  or  Department- Store  Jargon  : 

A  stupendous  opportunity  will  be  accorded  at  this  unparalleled 
and  colossal  exposition  to  acquire  rare  and  unsurpassable  bargains. 

A  rare  chance  will  be  offered  at  this  great  sale  to  secure  unusual 
bargains. 

There  is  no  better  field  for  the  study  of  the  sentence  than  that 
presented  by  the  advertisements  of  newspapers  and  magazines, 
where  each  word,  costing  from  fifty  cents  to  a  dollar,  is  examined 
as  is  a  diamond  to  test  its  value.  The  letter  on  the  following  page 
is  a  genuine  advertisement  in  the  form  of  a  letter. 

From  words  of  equal  meaning  and  propriety  always  select  the 
shortest.  Anglo-Saxon  is  the  pith  of  English  composition. 

Note  in  the  following  list  that  by  selecting  the  shortest  words 
there  is  effected  a  saving  of  fifty-nine  per  cent.  : 


led 

.  .  induced 

agent 

.  .  representative 

got 

.  .   obtained 

sad 

.  .   melancholic 

done 

..   effected 

very 

.  .   exceedingly 

hard 

..   difficult 

leave 

.  .   permission 

wish 

.  .   desire 

talk 

.  .   conversation 

fine 

.  .   excellent 

a  year 

.  .  per  annum 

do 

.  .   accomplish 

think 

.  .   contemplate 

The  origin  of  words — Latin,  French,  or  Anglo-Saxon — matters 
little.  All  are  proper  if  in  general  use,  though  some  preference 
should  be  given  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  as  being  more  familiar  to  all. 
Business  language  seldom  admits  words  wholly  foreign  in 
form  :  such  as  employe,  for  employee  ;  ennui,  for  tiresomeness  ; 
menu,  for  bill  of  fare  ;  Poste  Restante,  for  General  Delivery ; 
tete-a-tete,  for  private  conversation  ;  cheque,  for  check  ;  segar, 
for  cigar,  etc.  Cafe  (cafay'),  valet  (varet),  and  chauffeur  (sho-fur') 
may  be  used.  Especially  avoid  the  mongrel  department-store 
French  now  purposely  used  to  induce  the  purchasing  of  inferior 
dry-goods.  Certain  business  phrases  also  are  objectionable, 
such  as  O.  K.  for  approve ;  I.  O.  U.  for  promissory  note  ; 
make  good,  deliver  the  goods,  etc. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  57 


Illustrating  the  Preference  for  Anglo-Saxon  Words 

THE   ADAMS   &    FORD    CO. 

MANUFACTURERS  OF  SUPERFINE  SHOES 
South  Bank  Street 

Chicago,  III.,  January  12,   19.. 
Mr.  Henry  Goodson, 
97  King  Street, 
New  York. 

Dear  Sir  : 

If  we  could  get  you  to  try  on  a  pair  of  our  shoes  we 
shouldn't  have  to  talk  to  you  any  more. 

Here's  a  shoe  that  your  feet  want.     There  is  no  rubber 
shoe  discomfort — there  can  be  no  perspiring  and  chafing  of  the 
feet  ;    it  is  easy  to  wear  because  it  is  light — and  it  never  makes  a 
sore  joint.     Our  Walking-Shoe  Department  is  famous  for  this. 

You  get  complete  protection  where  you  want  it — over 
the  sole  and  the  seam  between  sole  and  upper.     No  useless  rubber 
to  carry  and  to  make  an  air-tight  case  for  your  feet  to  perspire  in. 

Stick  to  the  shoe  ?  Of  course,  more  tightly  than  any 
old-style  rubber  ever  made. 

Now  look  at  the  fit  of  it — that  means  you  have  a 
stylish  shoe,  something  no  one  ever  claimed  for  the  old  rubber. 

They  are  made  for  men  and  women. 

Every  good  shoeman  carries  them.  If  you  cannot  get 
a  pair,  write  us  and  we  will  send  you  our  booklet,  "  Good  News 
For  Your  Feet,"  and  tell  you  how  to  get  a  pair. 

Yours  truly, 


Observe  that  of  the  177  words  144  are  of  one  syllable,  30  of  2,  and  but 
3  of  3  syllables,  while  97  per  cent,  are  of  English  origin.  This  letter  is  a  gem 
in  the  art  of  writing  Anglo-Saxon  and  in  the  economizing  of  valuable  adver- 
tising space.  Acquire  the  habit  of  using  short,  forceful,  economical  (therefore 
profitable)  words. 

The  use  of  many  paragraphs  for  a  single  subject  is  permissible  in  ad.  writing. 


58 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Latin  and  Greek  Words  Used  in  Business 

Singular  Plural 

ADDENDUM       Something  added  to  ;  a  supplement.     ADDENDA 

ANALYSIS         A  division  into  parts.  ANALYSES 

APPENDIX         Certain  parts  of  a  book  at  the  end.        APPENDIXES 
CRISIS  A  critical  moment.  CRISES 


CRITERION 
DATUM 

ERRATUM 
Focus 


A  standard  of  judgment. 


CRITERIA 


A  fact,  supposition,  or  point  of  DATA 

information. 

Error  ;  used  in  referring  to  mistakes       ERRATA 
in  books. 


The  center  ;    to  concentrate. 


FORMULA          A  recipe  or  receipt. 
HYPOTHESIS     A  theory  ;    a  supposition. 
GENIUS  A  person  of  great  talent. 

MATRIX  A  die  (stamping). 

MEMORANDUM  A  note  for  reference. 
PARENTHESIS  A  punctuation  mark  (  ). 
PHENOMENON  An  unusual  occurrence. 


FOCUSES 

FORMULAS 

HYPOTHESES 

GENIUSES 

MATRICES 

MEMORANDA 

PARENTHESES 

PHENOMENA 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  59 


Test-Letter  i 

Rewrite  the  numbered  paragraphs,  using  other  terms. 
Must  be  perfect  for  Grade  A 

260  Rutledge  Street, 
Brooklyn,  N.  V.,   January  1,   1914. 

Dear  Miss  Collins  : 

As  you  were  absent  to-day,  I  send  you  the 
lesson  for  to-morrow.     You  are  to  rewrite  the  following,  using 
equivalent  words  or  their  abbreviations  for  those  italicized. 

1  A  transaction  in  good  faith. 

2  Jones  against  Thomas  and  others. 

3  Some  prefer  payment  by  the  day  \    others  by  the  year. 

4  A  necessary  number  to  do  business  was  not  present. 

5  Henry  Wilson,  temporary  president,  presided. 

6  The  steamship  "  Star  "  sailed  by  way  of  the  Suez  Canal. 

7  Though  smuggled  articles  the  vendor  declared  them  A1 . 

8  Let  the  buyer  beware  ! 

9  Stokes,  otherwise  known  as,  Connell,  proved  that  he  was 

elsewhere. 

10  The  subject  was  debated  for  and  against. 

1 1  The  duties  are  levied  according  to  value. 

12  The  speaker  was  reported  word  for  word. 

13  The  meeting  adjourned  indefinitely. 

14  One  section  abused  the  other  and  the  reverse. 

15  They  were  paid  by  the  thousand. 

16  The  printer  was  told  to  ignore  the  correction. 

17  A  "  near  "  antidote  was  discovered. 

18  The  prince  is  traveling  under  an  assumed  name. 

19  A  before-death  statement  was  taken. 

20  Note  well.     An  after-death  examination  is  necessary. 

Yours  sincerely, 
Miss  Jennie  Collins, 

241  Stanton  Street, 
New  York 

NOTE. — In  all  test-letters,  make  use  of  the  proof-reading  symbols,  Chapter 
III,  and  of  the  diagram,  Chapter  XIII. 


63  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Test-Letter  2 

(PLURALS  OF  LATIN  AND  GREEK  WORDS  USED  IN  BUSINESS) 

This  letter  is  to  be  rewritten,  using  equivalent  terms 

for  the  italicized  words.     It  must  be  perfect 

to  obtain  Grade  A 

THE  SUMNER  &  BALD  COMPANY 

SCIENTIFIC  TEXT-BOOK  PUBLISHERS 

230  Broadway 

New    York,  April  2,   1907. 

Mr.  Charles  Jackson, 

28  Broome  Street, 

New  York. 

Dear  Sir  : 

The  reference  to  material  for  matrixes  was  omitted,  but    i 
memorandum  was  made  and  it  was  put  among  the  Addenda  (Part 
II,  pp.  240-265).     Notes  on  matrixes  and  focuses  will  be  found  in 
the  Appendixes.     The  analyses  that  were  incomplete  will  be  found 
under  Corrected  Formulas,  page  of  Errata.     The  publishers  have 
tabulated  the  data  on  errors  and  now  believe  the  work  to  be  a 
criterion.     Formerly  corrections  were  made  in  parentheses,  but 
geniuses  only  cculd  find  them.     Now  they  are  on  a  separate  page. 
Experience  has  proved  this  hypothesis  to  be  correct.     Combinations 
in  chemical  phenomena  are  treated  in  the  chapter  on  Working 
Hypotheses. 

We  desire  advice  from  you  on  improving  the  Indexes,  and 
wish  you  would  send  us  your  accumulated  memoranda. 

Yours  truly, 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH  61 


Re 

No  error  is  more  common  among  beginners  than  to  misuse  the 
word  "re."  Call  attention  to  the  fact  that  this  word  is  not  an 
abbreviation  any  more  than  are  the  other  Latin  words  "  per," 
"  via,"  etc.  It  is  not  to  be  capitalized  except  when  beginning 
a  sentence,  nor  to  be  quoted,  nor  followed  by  a  hyphen  or  dash  or 
period.  Explain  that  it  means  "  referring  to,"  "  regarding/'  "  in 
reference  to." 

Employee 

Employee.  Has  become  thoroughly  Anglicized  and  refers  to 
both  sexes.  There  is  no  occasion  to  use  the  French  words 
"  employe,"  a  male,  and  "  employee,"  a  female,  yet  both  forms 
with  the  accent  must  be  used  if  the  French  terms  be  used.  "  Em- 
ploye "  without  the  accent  is  neither  French  nor  English  and,  of 
course,  cannot  be  used  at  all. 

Review  Questions  for  Chapter  V 

1  What  rule  do  you  follow  in  selecting  a  longer  or  a  shorter 
word  where  there  is  a  choice  ? 

2  How  do  you  punctuate  slang  or  objectional  terms  when 
obliged  to  use  them  ? 

3  Why  should  you  not  be  too  insistent  in  using  compound 
words  ? 

4  Why  should  you  prefer  Anglo-Saxon  words  to  others  ? 

5  What  is  the  objection  to  pompous  words  ? 

6  What  is  meant  by  pompous  language  ? 

7  Where  do  you  find  excellent  examples  of  concise,  economical 
sentences  ? 

8  What  is  meant  by  "  pp.  4,  6,  9  "  and  "  pp.  46-81  "  ? 

9  Which    is    preferable :     Employe,    employe,    employee,    or 
employee  ? 

10  When  are  these  accents  used  :   e,  e,  and  e  ? 

11  How  are  "  datum  "  and  "  valet  "  pronounced  ? 

12  How  are  "  inquiry  "  and  "  subtraction  "  pronounced  ? 

13  Is  there  a  sound  of  "  ish  "  in  financier  ? 

14  What  is  the  difference  in  meaning  between   "  emigrant  " 
and  "  immigrant  "  ? 

15  What     is    the    difference    between     "compliment"     and 
"  complement  "  ? 


62 


STYLE-BOOK   OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH 


Exercises 

I 

apropos 

cuisine 

naive 

eclat 

attache 

ennui 

negligee 

elite 

cortdge 

soiree 

regime 

trousseau 

coterie 

suite 

rendezvous 

sobriquet 

coupe 

coup 

resume 

vaudeville 

cafe 

debris 

roue 

route 

chauffeur 


Copy  the  following  paragraph.  Then  translate 
italicized  words,  using  English  equivalents.  Must  be 
perfect  for  Grade  A 


Apropos  of  the  attache,  who  followed  the  cortege,  it  is  said  that  he 
suffered  considerable  ennui  among  his  particular  coterie  at  the  soiree 
in  the  cafe.  Such  gay  rendezvous  were  very  frequent  under  the  old 
regime,  but  they  are  now  attractive  mostly  by  their  excellent 
cuisine,  and  are  less  visited  by  roues  who  arrived  in  coupes  with,  as 
they  thought,  great  eclat.  A  close  description  of  this  elite  gathering, 
with  its  vaudeville  characteristics,  would  appear  charming  to  a  person 
thoroughly  naive.  The  negligee  robe  in  the  trousseau  of  the 
soubrette  who  occupied  the  third  suite  was  especially  commented 
on  for  its  texture. 


NOTE.     Pupils  are  reminded  that  the  failure  to  put  the  necessary  accents 
on  foreign  words  will  be  counted  as  an  error. 


STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


63 


Write  the  English  of 


1  bizarre 

2  canaille 

3  carte  blanche 

4  chapeau 

5  charge  d'affaires 

6  ci-devant 

7  -  confrere 

8  connoisseur 

9  coup  d'etat 

10  coup  de  grace 

1 1  creche 

12  decollete 

13  denouement 

14  de  trop 

15  en  arriere 

16  en  echelon 

17  en  passant 

18  en  regie 

19  en  suite 

20  entree 

21  entrepot 

22  expose 

23  fagade 

24  faience 

25  faux  pas 


26  habitue 

27  materiel 

28  matinee 

29  melee 

30  moire 

31  nee 

32  nom  de  plume 

33  nouveau 

34  papier-mach£ 

35  parole 

36  portiere 

37  proces  verbal 

38  protege 
30  qui  vive 

40  rale 

41  recherche 

42  retrousse 

43  role 

44  role  d'equipage 

45  salle 

46  salon 

47  sen or 

48  tout  ensemble 

49  vis-a-vis 

50  vise,  viseed 


64  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Rewrite,  using  English  equivalents. 
Must  be  perfect  for  Grade  A 

The  lady  with  nose  retrousse,  a  ci-devant  milliner,  entered  the 
salon  dressed  in  a  most  bizarre  form  of  decollete,  much  to  the  joy  of 
the  canaille.  En  passant  it  is  well  to  say  that  her  nom  de  plume  was 
a  little  too  recherche,  implying  a  connoisseur  of  letters,  thereby  leaving 
her  subject  to  an  expose. 

The  manager,  constantly  on  the  qui  vive,  had  carte  blanche  to 
eject  persons  who  made  themselves  de  trop  by  assuming  an  unsuit- 
able role.  The  denouement  of  this  faux  pas  was  that  the  harmony 
of  the  ensemble  was  affected,  and  on  the  complaint  of  a  guest  sitting 
vis-a-vis  she  was  requested  to  leave.  Thus  was  the  elite  of  the  town 
avenged. 

The  managers  of  the  entertainment  had  constantly  to  be  on 
guard  to  prevent  the  intrusion  of  the  nouveaux  riches.  In  fact, 
none  but  those  of  the  best  society  had  the  right  of  entree. 


NOTE.  In  rewriting  this  exercise  assume  that  it  is  a  social  letter  from 
Josephine  Taylor,  20  Myrtle  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  to  Catherine  Wood,  29  West 
5oth  St.,  New  York.  Do  not  alter  contents  except  as  directed  above,  but  fill  in 
with  due  regard  for  proper  spacing  and  position  the  street  address,  date-line, 
salutation,  introduction,  and  complimentary  close. 

In  order  to  make  the  exercise  more  like  a  personal  letter,  supply  two  opening 
and  two  closing  sentences.  Change  the  French  words  into  English  words 
or  phrases. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH  65 


4 

To  be  correctly  rewritten.     Must  be 
perfect  for  Grade  A 

(Rewrite  and  correct  if  necessary  all  italicized  words) 

A  recent  law  statue  declares  that  all  stationary  must  be  delivered 
biweekly.  A  canvas  among  dealers  disclosed  that  opinions  were 
divided  pro  and  con.  To  affect  this  intention  of  the  legal  stature 
advise  was  given  to  make  deliveries  cereally,  though  many  believed 
that  contingent  circumstances  might  effect  profits.  Therefore,  further 
advise  should  be  awaited  before  acceeding  thereto.  No  one  knew  the 
principle  in  charge  nor  the  principal  involved.  The  above  change 
also  refers  to  plastic  statutes  in  canvass  bags. 


Write  the  definition  of — 


stationery 

canvas 

advice 

effect 

statue 

advise 

accede 

principle 

biweekly 

statute 

minor 

stature 

affect 

lien 

cereal 

formerly 

except 

contingent 

stationery 

serial 

principal  formally  pro  and  con  canvass 


NOTE.     Students  should  be  directed  to  write  twenty-four  sentences,  each 
containing  one  or  more  of  the  foregoing  words. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Show  the  accent  by  rewriting 

1  comparable  26  disputable 

2  revocable  27  equitable 

28  acumen 

29  abdomen 

30  municipal 

31  detail  (noun) 

32  detail  (verb) 

33  legate 

34  finale 

35  irreparable 

36  employee 

37  annuity 

38  remonstrate 

39  acclimate 

40  illustrate 

41  exemplary 

42  facile 

43  physique 

44  superfluous 

45  ampere 

46  adobe 

47  placard 

48  alias 


revocable 

3  jugular 

4  lyceum 
consummate 
memoir 
misconstrue 

8  museum 

9  research 
resource 
sinecure 

12  vagary 

13  peremptory 

14  defalcate 

15  pretense 

16  finance 
financier 
gratis 

19  incomparable 

20  inquiry 

21  disputant 

22  decade 

23  consignee 

24  lamentable 

25  address 


10 
11 


17 
18 


49  personnel 

50  askance 


NOTE. — An  accent  is  written  by  placing  this  mark  next  to  the  syllable  on 
which  the  stress  is  to  fall.     For  example,  rig'idly. 


STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS  ENGLISH  67 


Rewrite  the  following  with  a  view  to  correct  English,  good  taste 
and  brevity,  and  give  reasons  for  changes  made  : 

A  corporation  is  a  body,  consisting  of,  usually,  several 
persons,  having  power  given  to  them  by  law  to  do  things  the 
same  as  one  person,  and  continued  by  a  succeeding  of  new 
members.  Public  corporations  are  the  kind  which  are  made 
up  for  the  public  interest,  like  cities,  town,  counties,  etc. 
Private  corporations  are  got  up,  wholly  or  partly,  for  the 
aggrandizement  of  those  who  hold  the  shares,  as  railway 
corporations,  etc.  Corporate  bodies  of  which  the  members 
at  discretion  fill  by  appointment  all  vacancies  accruing  in  their 
membership  sometimes  are  called  close  corporations.  In  the 
United  States  the  power  to  be  a  corporation  is  a  franchise, 
which  can  only  exist  through  the  legislature.  There  are  two 
distinctive  methods  in  which  corporations  may  be  called  into 
being  :  first  by  specified  grant  of  the  franchise  to  the  members  ; 
and  second  by  General  Grant  which  becomes  operative  in  favor 
of  particular  persons  when  they  organize  on  purpose  to  avail 
themselves  of  its  provisions. 


CHAPTER  VI 
LETTERS    OF    APPLICATION 

IT  is  a  common  complaint  that  it  is  useless  to  answer  an  advertise- 
ment, as  the  chance  of  receiving  an  answer  is  one  in  forty.  This 
is,  in  fact,  the  average  chance — for  the  badly  written  letter,  though 
in  five  cases  out  of  ten  an  answer  is  received  to  the  letter  properly 
written.  Many  imagine  that  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  inform  the 
advertiser  that  his  advertisement  has  been  seen  and  that  the  posi- 
tion is  wanted,  quite  unconscious  that  an  advertisement  is  an 
invitation  to  qualify  sufficiently  to  enable  the  advertiser  to  select 
the  best.  "  Answer  by  letter "  means  "  prove  ability  before 
appearing."  It  is  a  request  to  "  send  a  sample  " — a  substitute 
by  which  to  judge,  and  is,  therefore,  to  a  certain  extent  a  per- 
sonal presentation.  If  the  substitute  (the  letter  of  application) 
is  neatly  (ad)  dressed,  with  well-arranged  clothes  (the  lines  of  the 
address),  well-placed  hat  or  collar  and  necktie  (the  stamp),  and 
face  free  from  dirt  (the  envelope) — then  it  produces  a  favorable 
impression.  Untidy  envelopes  go  unopened  into  the  waste-basket. 
The  next  rejected  are  the  letters  that  begin  like  Sam's  remark  in 
the  cartoon — "  I  seen  yo'  ad.  in  de  pape'."  Then  those  on  ruled 
paper,  with  social  instead  of  business  forms  of  address ;  next 
those  improperly  folded — all  showing  ignorance  of  business  cor- 
respondence. Use  commercial-size  envelope  (9J  in.)  ;  its  prominence 
generally  secures  it  first  and  special  attention.  Always  typewrite 
the  application  and  enclose  self-addressed  andu'stamped  envelope 
for  reply. 

Positions  are  often  obtained  by  writing  again  a  week  later, 
inquiring  whether  application  was  received.  Business  men  admire 
proper  persistency.  Word  the  letter  in  such  a  manner  that  other 
qualifications  may  be  inferred  and  request  an  interview. 

Extreme  brevity  is  an  error.  Enough  should  be  written  to 
enable  the  advertiser  to  judge  grammar,  composition,  and  busi- 
ness style.  The  next  rejected  contain  •  such  abbreviations  as 
"  rec'd,"  "  resp't,"  etc.,  and  the  senseless  phrases  "  Yours  at  hand 
and  noted,"  "  I  beg  to  acknowledge  receipt  of,"  etc.  The  omission 
of  the  personal  pronoun  "  I  "  is  especially  objectionable,  as,  "  Am 
twenty-five  years  old  ;  have  experience  ;  will  accept  salary  of,"  etc. 
Improper  titles,  salutations,  and  complimentary  closes  are  errors. 

When  a  letter  has  been  written  to  a  principal  and  an  answer  has 
been  received  from  his  secretary  the  question  arises,  To  whom  to 
address  the  reply  ?  If  the  answer  be  a  direct  composition  of  the  prin- 
cipal and  signed  by  him,  though  carrying  the  additional  signature 

68 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH  69 


"per  J.  Cole,  sec.,"  the  reply  should  be  addressed  to  the  principal. 
If,  however,  the  answer  be  a  composition  of  the  secretary  and  bear 
his  signature  only,  then  the  reply  should  be  addressed  to  him. 


How  to  Get  a  Situation 

An  exhaustive  inquiry  by  a  prominent  publisher  to  employers 
to  elicit  their  opinion  as  to  the  fitness. of  applicants  resulted  in  this 
general  answer : 

"  We  find,  as  a  rule,  the  shorthand,  typewriting,  and  bookkeeping 
of  the  average  beginner  satisfactory.  In  only  one  or  two  instances 
out  of  a  hundred  is  the  business  English  good  enough.  Even  the 
rudiments  of  correspondence  seem  to  be  unknown  to  the  majority, 
while  the  knowledge  of  style  and  the  act  of  displaying  matter  on  a 
page  to  the  best  advantage  are  exceedingly  rare. 

"  Only  two  applicants  out  of  a  hundred  are  able  properly  to  write  a 
letter  of  application,  and  most  applicants  know  very  little  of  the 
theory  of  sorting  the  contents  of  a  business  letter  for  treatment  as 
an  advertisement ;  therefore,  in  judging  fitness  by  their  own  corre- 
spondence ninety-eight  per  cent,  must  be  rejected.  The  difference 
between  an  experienced  stenographer  and  a  beginner  is  simply  that 
one  knows  business-English  style  and  the  other  does  not.  Even 
in  the  composition  of  simple  sentences  the  average  beginner  is 
deficient.  The  rules  of  syntax  seem  wholly  unknown  to  him." 

The  inference  is  that  the  ninety-eight  fail  entirely  through  lack 
of  letter-writing  ability.  They  cannot  write  with  sufficient  skill 
to  secure  the  interview  in  which  to  demonstrate  capacity  to  do 
the  other  kinds  of  work  in  which  they  are  really  efficient.  They 
do  not  realize  that  what  they  have  to  sell  (working  efficiency)  finds 
the  best  market  only  through  correctly  prepared  correspondence. 
It  is,  therefore,  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  correct  style  in  letter- 
writing  is  the  key  to  getting  business,  that  is,  positions  for  would-be 
employees.  The  employer  wants  some  one  to  relieve  him  of  the 
burden  of  style  and  revision.  The  applicant's  letter  reveals  or  does 
not  reveal  this  capacity,  and  is  treated  accordingly. 


70  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Beginner's  Letter  of  Application 

28  Rutledge  Street, 
Brooklyn,  N.    Y.,  April  1,   1913. 
Mr.  Henry  Taylor, 
100  Broadway, 
New  York. 

Dear  Sir: 

Kindly  consider  my  application  for  the  position  adver- 
tised by  you  in  this  morning's  "  Herald."     Although  with  only  a 
little  business  experience  I  am  able  to  show  a  Graduation 
Certificate  proving  excellence  in  spelling,  punctuation,  composition, 
etc.     You  will  find,  sir,  upon  inquiry  that  I  am  rated  as  a 
first-class  beginner  in  typewriting  and  stenography. 

I  live  within  short  distance  of  your  office  and  can  there- 
fore always  arrive  early.     If  you  will  kindly  grant  me  an  interview 
to  demonstrate  my  ability  and  desire  to  oblige  you  will  not  have 
wasted  your  valuable  time. 

The  question  of  salary  I  leave  to  your  judgment  after 
you  have  become  convinced  of  my  worth. 

References  : 

Dr.  Bernard  Cronson,  prin.  Grammar  School 
125,  New  York. 

Mr.  Arthur  Brown,  of  Ward,  Howell  &  Co., 
44  West  Street,  New  York. 

Hoping  that  you  will  permit  me  to  present  myself  or  that 
•  you  will  kindly  answer  at  your  convenience,  I  am 

Yours  respectfully, 


NOTE.     Observe  that  the  superscription  on  the  envelope  should  always  be 
exactly  the  same  as  the  introduction  in  the  letter. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  71 

Illustrating  the  Single-spaced  Square  Letter 

THE  NORTH  AMERICAN   BOOK  COMPANY 

Publishers  of  ^Cedical  {J^oofcs  and 


120    MADISON    SQUARE 

SAN  FRANCISCO  CHICAGO 

UNION  NATIONAL  BANK  170  STATE  STREET 


New    York,  May  6,   1914. 


Messrs.  Manson   &  Co., 
40  Madison  Ave., 
New  York. 


Gentlemen  : 

Understanding  that  you  employ  college  women 
in  your  house,  I  desire  to  make  application  for  a  position 
in  a  secretarial  capacity. 

I  have  had  eight  years'  experience  as  correspond- 
ent and  assistant  manager  in  mail-order  and  publishing-houses. 
I  can  also  qualify  as  proof-reader.     I  am  able  to  furnish  the  best  of 
business  and  social  references,  and  should  be  glad  if  you  would 
grant  me  an  interview. 

Hoping  to  have  the  opportunity  of  proving  the  value 
of  my  service  to  you,  I  am 

Respectfully  yours, 


Short  communications  when  written  on  letter-head  size  of  sheet  may  be 
displayed  to  advantage  as  shown  above,  that  is,  centered. 

Notice  "Messrs."  before  "Manson  &  Co."  Politeness  requires  the  use 
of  the  title  "Messrs."  before  the  firm-name,  though  it  is  not  improper  to 
omit  it. 

6— (400) 


72  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


The  position  of  an  incompetent  applicant  is  similar  to  that  of 
the  manufacturer  in  the  following  : 


Circumstances  of  a  Manufacturer  who  has  Learned  to  Produce 

Articles,  but  cannot  Market  them  through  Ignorance 

of  Selling  Conditions  and  Correspondence 

B  expends  a  sum  of  money  for  service,  rent,  raw  material,  insur- 
ance, etc.,  and  manufactures  a  stock  of  articles.  He  fails  to  instruct 
himself  about  competition,  conditions,  styles,  selling-prices,  dis- 
counts, shipping-costs,  advertising,  forms  of  correspondence,  etc. 
In  other  words  he  cannot  through  ignorance  discover  his  market. 
Naturally,  his  original  confidence  grows  less  and  less  through  lack 
of  successful  effort. 

Question  :   Can  he  succeed  ?     If  not,  what  is  the  remedy  ? 


Incompetent  Applicant's  Circumstance 

C,  in  a  commercial  class,  expends  time  and  money  for  tuition, 
books,  stationery,  board,  car-fare,  etc.,  in  exchange  for  instruction 
in  shorthand,  typewriting,  bookkeeping,  or  other  subject.  He  is 
graduated  satisfactorily  in  other  parts  of  business-English  corre- 
spondence, but  has  had  insufficient  instruction  how  to  secure  a 
place  by  mail ;  that  is,  of  demonstrating  fitness  by  letter-writing. 

Question  :  Can  he  secure  the  interview  (position)  ?  If  not,  what 
is  the  remedy  ? 

The  following  facts  afford  the  answer  to  the  foregoing 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  73 


Value  of  Correspondence  Demonstrated 

A  New  Jersey  school  annually  graduated  more  pupils  than  there 
were  positions  to  be  had  in  that  city.  The  only  means  of  placing 
this  excess  of  pupils  lay  in  answering  New  York  newspaper  adver- 
tisements. This  method  had  already  been  tried  and  largely  aban- 
doned, as  satisfactory  results  were  extremely  meager,  two  replies 
to  a  hundred  application  letters  being  the  average.  To  remedy 
this  the  English  instructor  drew  up  a  model  letter  of  applica- 
tion to  be  used  by  all  and  modified  to  suit  individual  needs.  Each 
modification  was  examined,  and  instruction  and  practise  given, 
until  every  letter  showed  a  satisfactory  individual  touch.  The 
burden  of  composition,  of  course,  was  put  upon  the  student. 
Each  letter  was  carefully  inspected  by  the  teacher  before  being 
mailed.  The  result  was  that  the  replies  to  applications  increased 
from  two  to  forty  in  the  hundred.  All  forty  applicants  secured 
interviews  and  thirty  obtained  desirable  positions,  thus  increasing 
the  percentage  of  success  from  two  to  thirty-five.  By  thus  using 
the  art  of  "  selling  by  paper  "  the  students  became,  so  to  speak, 
successful  letter- writing  salesmen  ;  that  is,  they  proceeded  to 
demonstrate,  as  asked  for  in  the  advertisement,  their  ability  to  do 
the  work  required.  The  work  required,  be  it  well  understood,  was 
plain  stenography  and  typing.  The  deception  thus  practised  does 
not  seem  to  be  so  very  blameworthy  when  it  is  considered  that,  as 
beginners,  their  work  was  wholly  confined  to  stenography,  typewrit- 
ing, the  card-system,  and  letter-filing.  Later  inquiries  of  the 
instructor  showed  that  the  pupils  who  secured  work  in  this  way 
held  their  positions  as  successfully  as  others. 


The  lesson  here  to  be  learned  is  that  every  other  properly  written 
letter  brings  an  interview,  and  that  three  out  of  every  four  interviews 
result  in  securing  a  place  ;  and  that,  however  competent  one  may 
be  in  shorthand,  typewriting,  or  bookkeeping,  a  knowledge  of 
business  English  is  essentially  necessary  to  secure  employment  by 
mail. 


74  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Answer  to  " Stenographer  Wanted" 

96  Holborn  Street, 
Boston,  Mass.,  April  3,   1913. 
Mr.  Charles  G.   Knight, 
240  State  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Dear  Sir  : 

I  respectfully  submit  the  following  in  answer  to  adver- 
tisement for  a  beginner  stenographer  in  to-day's  "  Telegram  "  : 

I  am  a  young  man  of  twenty  ;    neat  in  appearance  ;    of 
good  habits  ;    do  not  use  tobacco  ;    punctual,  reliable,  and  obliging. 

Graduated  from  Colborn  High  School  with  first-rate 
percentage  ;    was  specially  commended  by  my  teachers  for 
accuracy 


I  acquired  much  of  my  education  by  self-instruction, 
which  guarantees  I  have  ability  for  future  improvement. 

I  can  read  shorthand  notes  very  rapidly,  and  can 
make  transcripts  that  do  not  have  to  be  re-read  by  my  employer. 

I  shall  be  satisfied  with  small  salary  until  worthy  of 
increase.     No  snap  job  wanted,  and  I  am  willing  to  work  to  advance. 

Spelling,  grammar,  composition,  and  business  English 
style  are  At. 

References  : 

Mr.  Herbert  Simmons,  bookkeeper,  Ward  &  Co. 
Messrs.  Henson  &  Sons,  patent  lawyers. 
Mr.  Calmer  Benson,  principal  Colborn  High  School. 
All  of  Boston. 

No  time  will  be  lost  on  your  part  in  granting  me  an 
interview  I  hereby  request  in  order  to  demonstrate  ability. 

Respectfully  yours, 


Underscore  with  red  ink  the  words  "  was  specially  commended  by  my 
teachers  for  accuracy  ' '  and  "  do  not  have  to  be  re-read. ' ' 

Always  send  copies  of  your  references.  Do  not  send  originals  unless 
specially  requested. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  75 


Follow-up  Letter  to  "Stenographer  Wanted" 

96  Holborn  Street, 

Boston,  Mass.,  April  10,  1913. 
Mr.  Charles  G.   Knight 

240  State  Street, 

Boston,  Mass. 

Dear  Sir  : 

May  I  inquire  whether  my  application  in  answer  to 
"  Stenographer  Wanted  "  in  the  "  Telegram  "  of  the  3d  instant  has 
reached  you  ? 

If  not,   I  enclose  duplicate,  with  stamped  envelope,  for 
reply  in  case  the  position  is  still  open. 

I  am  anxious  for  this  position  as  I  am  sure  that  my  good 
habits  and  accurate  work  will  please  you. 

Why  not  try  me  as  an  investment  ? 

Again  assuring  you  that  my  best  efforts  are  at  your 
disposal,  I  am 

Respectfully  yours- 
Enclosures — self-addressed  envelope  and  duplicate. 


To  "  follow  up  "  in  correspondence  indicates  good  business  judgment  and 
self-confidence — attributes  highly  valued  by  employers.  One  week  should 
elapse  between  the  application  and  the  follow-up.  Underscore  "  accurate 
work  "  in  red  ink,  using  ruler. 

Note  the  absence  of  commas  and  periods  at  the  end  of  the  lines  while 
punctuating  the  street  and  date-line,  the  introduction  and  the  complimentary 
close  as  recommended  in  Rule  3  of  the  Editing  Rules  approved  by  the  New 
York  State  Dept.  of  Education.  You  are  not  obliged  to  follow  this  style. 

The  style  of  indenting  every  paragraph  at  10  is  here  shown  where  the 
second  and  the  third  lines  of  the  salutation  are  indented  at  10  and  20  respectively. 
This  :tyle  is  quite  common,  more  so  than  the  indention  of  5. 


76  STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH 


Answer  to  "  Bookkeeper  Wanted  " 

140  Jackson  Street, 
Chicago,  III.,  February  3,   1914. 
Messrs.  Anderson   &  Co., 

420  South  Water  Street, 
Chicago,  111. 

Gentlemen  : 

In  answer  to  advertisement  in  to-day's  "  Times  "  :    I  am 
Young  man  of  eighteen  years. 
Grammar-school  graduate. 

Excellent  grades  in  arithmetic  and  bookkeeping. 
Good  penman  and  accurate  with  figures. 
Will  work  hard  for  advancement. 
Shall  be  industrious  and  loyal  to  employer. 
Salary  according  to  your  own  judgment. 
Long  hours  have  no  terrors  for  me. 

References  : 

Mr.  Henry  Fold,  principal  Grammar  School  125. 
Mr.  James  Stockton,  banker,   13  State  Street. 
Messrs.  Aldrage  &  James,   12  Temple  Ave. 

Enclosed     stamped    and     self-addressed     envelope    and    sample 
of  handwriting. 

Hoping  that  you  will  grant  me  an  interview,  I  am 

Respectfully  yours, 


The  originality  in  composition  and  display  of  parts  will  accord  this  letter 
special  and  favorable  attention.  The  letter  indicates  brevity,  conciseness,  and 
economy.  The  omission  of  the  pronoun  "  I  "  is  correct  in  this  letter,  as  the 
effort  to  condense  and  display  shows  good  intention  and  careful  work. 

Underscore   "  accurate  with  figures  ' '  in  red  ink,  using  ruler. 
The  application  letters  of  bookkeepers  should  be  pen-written. 


STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH  77 


Follow-up  Letter  to  "  Bookkeeper  Wanted" 

961  Charles  Street, 
New    York,  N.    Y.,  April  3,   1914. 
Messrs.  Thomas   &  Kemp, 
924  Broadway, 
New  York. 

Gentlemen  : 

As  some  time  has  elapsed  since  I  answered  your  ad., 
"  Bookkeeper  Wanted  "  ("  Times,"  February  3),  and  as  I  have 
not  received  a  response,  I  think  it  may  have  been  mislaid. 

I  enclose  duplicate  and  respectfully  call  attention  to  the 
fact  that  if  you  need  a  bookkeeper  who  is  accurate,  hardworking, 
punctual,  and  loyal  to  his  employer's  interest  just  send  for  me. 

You  will  soon  discover  the  fact  that  I  wish  to  serve  you 
to  the  best  of  my  ability. 

Respectfully  yours, 


Underscore  in  a  continuous  line  in  red  ink  the  words  "who  is  accurate 
hardworking,  punctual,  and  loyal."  This  will  attract  attention  and  show 
your  aptitude  in  bookkeeping  methods. 

The  remark  was  made  by  an  old  bookkeeper  that  whenever  he  underscored 
the  superscription  on  the  envelope  in  red  ink  he  never  failed  to  get  an  answer, 
Whatever  you  do  get  out  of  the  rut ;  be  original.  To  be  a  little  too  assertive 
is  better  than  to  be  too  timid.  To  be  extremely  forward  is,  of  course,  altogether 
wrong  ;  but  when  the  applicant  has  the  ability  to  substantiate  in  practise, 
then  strong  assertions  in  the  application  are  fully  justifiable. 

Cultivate  a  plain,  unornamented  style  of  signature:    the  plainer  the  form 
the  harder  the  forgery. 

When  necessary  to  abbreviate  a  date  always  use  the  apostrophe  ;  as,  1913 
changed  to  '13. 


78  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 

Appearance  as  a  Factor 

Generally  the  object  of  a  business  letter  is  to  persuade  some  one 
to  agree  to  accept  a  certain  mercantile  proposal.  The  means 
employed  to  effect  this  result  are  largely  the  same  as  those  applied 
to  the  writing  of  newspaper  advertisements.  In  fact,  a  business 
letter,  having  the  same  object  in  view,  should  be  composed  somewhat 
in  the  same  manner.  The  distributing  of  the  items  on  the  page 
according  to  their  relative  importance,  so  as  to  attract  prompt 
attention;  the  special  capitalization  and  punctuation,  the 
paragraphing  and  the  choice  of  words — all  should  be  arranged  so 
as  to  draw  and  hold  the  attention  of  the  receiver  and  enable  him  to 
grasp  the  contents  at  a  glance.  The  advertisement  and  the  letter 
are  faulty  when  not  doing  this.  As  the  printed  matter,  or 
advertisement  of  the  firm,  at  the  head  of  the  letter  is  neatly 
printed  and  displayed,  so  should  the  body  of  the  letter  correspond 
in  neatness.  A  letter  badly  worded,  poorly  punctuated,  and 
undisplayed  is  as  ineffective  in  producing  good  results  as  is  an 
advertisement  similarly  deficient.  The  importance  of  attracting 
and  holding  favorable  attention  from  the  beginning  cannot  well  be 
exaggerated  when  it  is  considered  that  many  large  business 
transactions  are  made  through  correspondence  only,  and  that 
even  the  slightest  literary  unpleasantness  may  turn  the  scale 
unfavorably. 

The  first  essential  of  the  business  letter  is  to  please  the  eye. 
Experience  shows  that  nine  out  of  ten  unattractive  letters  are 
thrown  aside  unread.  A  cheap-looking  letter  correctly  presupposes 
a  cheap  firm  and  is  treated  accordingly.  The  first  impression  is 
made  pleasant  by  the  substantial  envelope,  the  neatly  written 
address,  the  correctly  placed  stamp,  the  fine  engraving  on  the 
tastefully  arranged  letter-head,  the  clear  print,  and  the  quality  of 
the  ink.  An  excellent  effect  is  produced  by  artistic  arrangement 
of  the  letter-head,  especially  when  printed  in  colors. 

The  receiver  should  be  made  to  feel  that  the  letter  is  of  impor- 
tance before  he  reads  it.  The  appearance  of  the  typewriting 
should  correspond  in  neatness  to  the  letter-head  and  the  quality 
of  paper,  as  slovenly  typewriting  counteracts  all  other  good 
impressions. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS  ENGLISH  79 

It  is  averred  that  a  style  of  strong  self-assertiveness  is  objection- 
able on  the  ground  of  being  too  presumptuous ;  that  many 
employers  would  consider  such  exhibition  of  assurance  and  for- 
wardness unfavorably ;  and  for  that  reason  a  style  more  indicative 
of  modesty  would  be  preferable. 

This  depends  wholly  upon  the  employer's  point]  of  view,  and  the 
object  to  be  attained  by  the  teacher.  The  purpose  of  the  former  is 
to  obtain  some  one  competent  to  take  notes,  type,  or  to  keep  books  ; 
of  the  later  solely  to  secure  positions.  The  majority  of  business  men, 
as  every  one  knows,  who  employ  this  grade  of  help,  are  not  remark- 
able for  extreme  modesty  of  statement,  the  use  of  fine  rhetoric, 
or  of  extraordinary  conscientiousness.  Therefore,  they  hardly 
seek,  nor  are  they  generally  able  to  detect,  the  subtle  indications  of 
such  excellent  qualities  in  the  correspondence  of  applicants.  The 
style  of  composition  should  for  that  reason  conform  to  the  char- 
acteristics of  those  who  receive  the  letters.  The  style  should  adapt 
itself  to  the  market. 

Actual  tests  by  practical  teachers  have  proved  this.  They 
changed  the  timid,  unassertive,  style  of  composition  then  in  use  and 
productive  of  poor  results  to  meet  the  same  market  conditions.  As 
the  style  of  the  letters  gradually  changed  from  excessive  modesty 
and  obscurity  toward  assertiveness  more  and  more  answers  came  in, 
until  it  became  evident  beyond  all  doubt  that  the  acceptable 
application  letter  must  inspire  confidence,  indicate  energy,  suggest 
ability,  and  show  distinctive  originality.  These  asserted  qualities 
must,  of  course,  be  backed  up  by  a  good  educational  history  and  by 
direct  and  easy  references. 

Importance  of  the  Material 

All  shorthand  work  should  be  done  with  the  pen  on  good  paper — 
paper  that  will  take  the  ink  well.  Typing,  on  the  contrary  (in 
school),  should  be  done  on  about  the  worst  paper  to  be  found. 
This  is  to  enable  the  teacher  easily  to  detect  erasures.  Good  paper 
and  pen  greatly  facilitate  artistic  penmanship,  especially  in  shading 
and  preventing  scrawling  outlines.  In  testing  this  fact,  one  large 
class  of  beginners  was  permitted  to  use  pencils,  and  another,  ink. 
At  the  end  of  three  months  the  books  of  each  class  were  carefully 


80  STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH 

examined  by  a  professional  penman,  who  declared  the  ink-written 
notes  to  be  much  more  legible.  The  same  principle  is  involved 
in  this  as  in  the  homely  Greek  proverb,  "  One  cannot  make  a 
silk  purse  out  of  a  sow's  ear."  It  would  be  poor  economy  for  an 
artist  to  use  poor  paints  and  poor  canvas  ;  and  poor  judgment 
for  a  student  to  save  money  at  the  cost  of  inferior  penmanship. 

Similarly,  first  drafts  of  pen-written  letters  should  be  insisted 
on,  on  paper  of  poor  quality,  but  the  final  draft  should  be  on 
paper  of  a  good  quality,  such  as  might  actually  be  used  in  real 
transactions. 

Centering  the  Contents 

The  matter  of  centering  a  letter  in  the  middle  of  the  page  is  of 
great  practical  value,  as  failure  to  do  so  instantly  stamps  the  begin- 
ner as  incompetent.  The  usual  method  is  the  "  hit  and  guess  " 
fashion.  If  it  does  not  come  out  properly  the  beginner  tries  again 
and  again,  losing  valuable  time.  The  teacher  may  easily  illustrate 
the  matter  for  the  class.  Begin  the  illustration  by  making  a  dia- 
gram of  a  blank  letter-sheet  on  the  board,  calling  attention  to 
the  fact  that  it  is  eleven  inches  long,  and  as  there  are  six  lines 
of  typing  to  the  inch  it  may  contain  sixty-six  lines.  Then  inquire 
"  If  ten  lines  are  to  be  written  single  spaced  on  the  sheet  how  many 
blank  lines  would  be  left  ?  "  The  answer,  of  course,  would  be  the 
difference  between  ten  and  sixty-six.  "  Now,  if  these  fifty-six 
blank  lines  were  evenly  divided  above  and  below  the  ten  written 
lines  how  many  would  there  be  in  each  place  ?  "  Twenty-eight. 
If  these  ten  lines  were  to  be  double-spaced  it  would  require  ten  lines 
more  of  blank,  so  the  material  to  be  centered  would  be  doubled,  or 
twenty  lines.  Then  make  a  new  calculation,  twenty  from  sixty-six 
leaves  forty-six.  As  one-half  of  these  blank  lines  are  to  go  above 
and  the  other  half  below  then  one-half  of  forty-six  is  the  blank 
space  to  be  above  and  below.  Now  put  into  the  diagram  the  date- 
line, introduction,  salutation,  and  complimentary  close.  Show 
now  that  instead  of  ten  lines  to  be  centered  there  are  sixteen  in  all. 
These  extra  lines  must  be  double  spaced  also,  so  there  are  thirty- 
two  lines  to  be  centered.  Thirty-two  from  sixty-six  leaves  thirty- 
four  blank  ;  one-half  of  thirty-four  is  seventeen.  Leave  above 
the  date-line,  therefore,  seventeen  blank  lines  and  begin  on  the 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  81 

eighteenth  and  the  whole  letter  will  be  centered.  Between  the 
date-line  and  the  introduction  two  extra  lines  may  be  counted  if 
thought  expedient.  Drill  the  pupils  to  judge  how  many  shorthand 
words  they  write  to  the  line.  They  can  thus  readily  arrive  at  the 
approximate  number  in  the  letter  ;  plus,  of  course,  six  lines,  or 
sixty-six  words,  for  the  date-line,  introduction,  and  complimentary 
close. 

Now  go  back  to  the  question  of  centering  the  172  words  and 
find  out  how  many  lines  (eleven  words  to  a  line)  they  will  make, 
and  proceed  as  above.  Of  course,  every  fraction  of  a  line  is  to  be 
counted  as  a  full  line.  This  exercise  may  be  varied  by  supposing 
the  lines  to  be  triple  spaced.  Then  pupils  should  work  out 
at  once  the  centering  of  letters  containing  180  or  200  words,  double 
spaced,  with  date-line,  etc.,  as  a  test  to  prove  perception. 

Centering  the  Line  in  Typewriting 

Throw  the  carriage  back  to  zero.  Strike  the  space-bar  for  each 
character  and  space  in  the  line  to  be  written.  Take  one-half  of  this 
number  from  the  center  figure  of  the  scale.  Begin  to  write  at  the 
figure  thus  found.  Be  careful  in  pyramid  work  to  figure  out 
every  line.  Use  no  guess-work. 

Carelessness  in  Letters  of  Application  Fatal 

In  conclusion,  the  following  excerpt  from  a  well-known  periodical 
may  be  quoted  in  connection  with  the  extreme  importance  of 
carefulness  in  letters  of  application.  The  writer  says  : 

"  Any  appearance  of  carelessness  is  bound  to  jar  an  employer 
and  keep  him  from  employing  an  otherwise  capable  man.  Careless- 
ness is  the  unpardonable  sin  in  business  ;  for  it  can  never  be  fore- 
seen when  perhaps  even  a  trifling  carelessness  will  have  serious 
results.  A  mistake  in  dating  the  letter  of  application  ;  a  mistake 
in  the  name  of  the  business  man  addressed  ;  a  mistake  in  ordinary 
spelling— such  things  are  looked  upon  as  vital.  There  was  a  young 
man  who,  quite  competent  to  fill  a  desirable  vacancy,  applied 
for  it  in  a  well-worded  letter  in  which,  referring  to  his  own  qualifica- 
tions, he  stated  that  he  was  a  graduate  of  a  certain  well-known 
business  '  colledge.'  He  did  not  get  the  place. 


82  STYLE-BOOK   OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


"  Recently  an  important  firm  advertised  for  a  man,  and  it  may 
be  remarked  that,  contrary  to  general  belief,  important  firms 
often  advertise  for  help — they  do  not  by  any  means  always  have  an 
understudy  ready  to  take  a  place. 

"  This  particular  advertisement  drew  a  large  number  of  responses, 
all  of  which  came  by  mail ;  and  among  them  one  letter  stood 
preeminent.  It  was  well  typewritten,  showing  that  a  good  typist 
had  been  employed — and  that  showed  judgment  to  begin  with. 
The  phrasing  was  good,  showing  clear-headedness  and  the  ability 
to  state  a  case  succinctly  and  with  effectiveness  ;  and  there  was 
evident  a  strong  desire  to  get  the  place.  References  and  ex- 
perience were  irreproachable  ;  and,  in  fact,  the  entire  letter  gave 
so  admirable  an  impression  that  there  would  have  been  no  doubt 
of  the  man's  getting  the  job  had  it  not  been  for  one  important 
fact — which  was  that  the  letter  was  unsigned  ! 

"  It  might  easily  have  been  possible  to  discover  who  he  was 
through  some  of  his  references,  but  no  effort  was  made  to  do  this. 
Instead,  the  application  was  completely  ignored.  It  was  realized 
that  a  man,  no  matter  how  competent  and  able,  who  could  leave 
his  name  off  a  letter — and  especially  an  important  letter — could 
never  be  fully  trusted  to  have  his  wits  about  him." 


Review  Questions  for  Chapter  VI 

1  In  how  many  different  ways  are  you  likely  to  be  judged 
from  your  application  letter  ? 

2  Why  should  a  business  man  prefer  to  have  you  write  rather 
than  call  at  first  ? 

3  How  does  an  application  letter  show  character  and  habits  ? 

4  What  points  in  defective  education  does  it  betray  ? 

5  Why  is  too  much  brevity  an  error  ? 

6  What  does  the  use  of  hackneyed  phrases  indicate  ? 

7  What  size  of  envelope  is  preferable  and  why  ? 

8  What    omissions   in    composition    are    objectionable    unless 
the  matter  be  displayed  as  seen  on  page  76  ? 

9  Why  may  certain  words  be  underscored  ? 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  83 

10  Why   should   you   attempt   to   be   original,   without   being 
eccentric,  in  a  letter  of  application  ? 

11  Should  anxiety  to  get  the  position,  or  to  show  fitness  and 
scholarship,  be  your  guide  in  composing  ? 

12  If  you  are  a  bookkeeper,  should  you  pen-write  or  handwrite 
a  letter  ? 

13  Name  ten  essential  points,  in  order  of  importance,  required 
in  a  model  letter  of  application. 

14  Why  should  you  use  stationery  of  excellent  quality  ? 

15  Why  should  you  enclose  self-addressed  envelope  ? 

16  State  in  how  many  ways  you  should  try  to  secure  preferential 
attention  for  your  letter  over  others. 

17  Why,  and  at  what  interval,  should  you  "  follow  up  "  your 
letter  ? 

18  What  lesson  do  you  learn  from  the  narratives  on  pages  73 
and  82  ? 

19  What  is  the  difference  between  the  right  way  and  wrong 
way  of  folding  and  inserting  the  letter-sheet  ? 

20  What  is  the  object  in  using  good  stationery  only  ? 

21  What  is  your  opinion  of  a  firm  that  sends  you  cheaply 
written  and  cheaply  made  letters  or  literature  ? 

22  What  is  your  opinion  of  a  friend  that  does  this  ? 

23  If  a  writer  is  careless  in    his  composition  and    does  not 
apologize    therefor,    do    you    attribute    it    to    ignorance    or    to 
indifference  ? 

24  If  you  receive  an  answer  from  the  secretary  of  a  person  to 
whom  you  wrote,  how  do  you  address  the  reply  ? 

25  When  the  number  of  the  year  is  abbreviated  should  an 
apostrophe  always  be  inserted  ?     ('10) 

26  What  three  verbs  only  end  in  "  ceed  "  ? 

27  What  is  the  use  of  parentheses  ? 

28  Mention  some  rules  for  centering  the  contents  of  a  letter. 

29  Write  a  paragraph  of  50  words  on  this  subject  :     "  The 
Importance  of  Accuracy." 

30  When  should  you  use  poor  paper  in  your  work  ?  when  good 
paper  ? 


84  STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 

Exercises 

1  Write  a  letter  of  150  words  or  more  to  your  teacher.     Explain 
what  a  beginner  should  say  to  an  employer,  to  prove  to  him  that  a 
student,  with  a  knowledge  of  business  English  acquired  at  school, 
is  as  likely  to  be  as  successful  as  one  who  obtained  his  instruction 
while  at  work. 

2  Write  a  letter  applying  for  admission  to  one  of  the  courses 
at  the    college    or   university  nearest    your    town.      State    what 
work  you  have  been  doing  at  school,  and  show  how  it  fulfils  the 
requirements  of  the  college  in  question. 

4  As  a  graduate  of  the  New  Albany  (Indiana)  High  School  you 
apply  by  letter  to  your  father's  friend,  Willard  Jaugh,  druggist, 
242  Fourth  Street,  Louisville,  Ky.,  for  a  position  as  drug-clerk. 

5  (a)  Your  name  is  Herbert  T.  Edmunds.     You  have  had  seven 
years'  experience  as  correspondence  clerk  with  the  Lane  Company, 
Importers,  New  Orleans,  La.     Write  to  the  United  Importation 
Co.,  New  York  City,  applying  for  a  similar  position  with  them. 
Mention  the  fact  that  you  write  fluently  in  German,  French,  and 
Spanish. 

(b)  Having  had  no  reply,  you  write  again.  Urge  the  advantages 
that  would  lie  in  your  employment  by  the  United  Importation  Co., 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  you  are  particularly  well  acquainted  with 
South  American  conditions. 

6  You  are  a  graduate  of  a  two-year  or  a  four-year  commercial 
course  in  a  good  high  school  or  of  a  reputable  business  college. 
You  have  acquired  a  certain  speed  in  stenography  and  are  a  correct 
typist.     Also,    you   have   studied   bookkeeping,    commercial   law, 
English,   and  business  practise.     Now  you  wish  a  position.     Go 
through  the  following  steps  : 

(a)  Write    a    25-word    "  employment-wanted "     advertisement 
suitable  for  insertion   in   a  newspaper.     In  this  you   state  your 
qualifications  very  briefly. 

(b)  You  receive  an  answer  from  three  firms.     The  first  is  from 
an  employment  agency,  which  desires  you  to  register  your  name 
and  asks  for  a  fuller  account  of  your  qualifications.     The  second  is 
from  a  coal-dealer,  who  needs  a  beginner  at  a  moderate  salary. 
The  third  is  from  a  lawyer,  with  a  large  staff. 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  85 

3 

Advertisements 

Write  an  answer  to  any  one  of  the  following 

advertisements.     Before    doing    so    carefully 

review  everything  on  pp.  68-83. 


(Assume  that  these  ads.  are  from  papers  of  your  own  city.} 
HELP   WANTED— FEMALE 

"BOOKKEEPER.— Competent  beginner  ;  must 
be  graduate  of  grammar  school,  have  good  knowl- 
edge of  figures  and  write  a  fine  hand  ;  chance 
of  advancement ;  moderate  salary ;  give  full 
particulars.  P.  O.  Box  94,  City. 

""STENOGRAPHER    AND    TYPEWRITER 

wanted  ;  good  beginner  ;  accuracy  more  desired 
than  rapidity  ;  good  speller  and  not  addicted  to 
erasing  ;  must  understand  the  card-system  and 
letter-filing ;  state  other  qualifications.  68  Uptown 
Herald. 

HELP   WANTED— MALE 

BOOKKEEPER.— Business-school  graduate  of 
exceptional  ability  can  find  good  place  where  hard 
work  and  close  attention  will  be  appreciated ; 
permanent  position  and  high  salary  finally  ;  state 
present  salary  desired.  J.  Coulan,  12  John  St. 

STENOGRAPHER  AND  TYPEWRITER    for 

law-offices  ;  must  be  familiar  with  modern  filing- 
devices  and  have  high-school  education  ;  slowness 
not  considered  if  already  accurate  ;  only  one  who 
can  learn  ;  good  salary.  Room  12,  Mills  Bldg. 


86  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 

Write  answers  to  these  three  letters. 

7  The  business  manager  of  your  school  paper  has  just  graduated 
from  school,  and  the  position  he  filled  is  consequently  open.     Write 
a  letter  applying  for  the  position  and  stating  your  qualifications. 

8  You  have  taken  a  number  of  courses  in  the  "  shops  "  of  your 
school,  and  you  are  inclined  towards  work  involving  mechanics. 
Apply   to    Schmitz,    Moore,    &  Co.,  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  for  a 
position  as  apprentice  in  their  tool-factory. 

9  As  an  expert  stenographer  (female),  with  ten  years'  experience 
in  law  and  railroad  work,  you  apply  to  a  prominent  lawyer,  Wm.  T. 
Broad,  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  his  office.     You  have  a  good  position 
now,  and  will  not  change  unless  you  are  assured  of  a  permanency 
where  training  may  be  valuable. 

10  The  dissolution  of  a  firm  with  which  you  have  been  connected 
as  bookkeeper  for  three  years  compels  you  to  seek  a  new  position. 
Apply  to  (1)  a  contracting  firm,  E.  S.  Willard  ;   (2)  a  railroad  office, 
N.  &  S.  R.  R.  ;  and  (3)  a  hat  factory,  The  Criterion  Co.,  for  a  position. 
Compose  your  three  letters  somewhat  differently,  in  accordance  with 
the  varying  characters  of  the  firms  you  are  addressing. 


CHAPTER  VII 
LETTERS    OFFERING    BUSINESS 

IN  any  firm  which  does  a  large  correspondence  it  is  most  probable 
that  a  considerable  proportion  of  this  correspondence  takes  the 
form  of  letters  offering  business.  That  is,  an  attempt  is  made  to 
secure  customers  for  the  goods  which  the  firm  sells,  whether  these 
goods  be  handkerchiefs  or  insurance,  the  building  of  houses  or  the 
auditing  of  accounts.  Sometimes  these  letters  are  written  to  persons 
or  firms  who  have  in  the  past  done  business  with  the  writer  of  the 
letter,  sometimes  the  letters  are  addressed  to  strangers.  In  the 
latter  case  it  is  only  when  firms  have  a  poor  appreciation  of  business 
principles  that  such  letters  are  addressed  at  random  to  anybody. 
Usually  they  are  intended  only  for  persons  on  carefully  selected 
lists — such  persons,  in  other  words,  that  are  likely  to  respond  to 
the  appeal  for  business. 

In  any  event,  these  letters  must  be  carefully  prepared  and 
require  in  their  composition  considerable  powers  of  persuasion. 
Every  man  who  is  known  to  have  money  to  buy  goods  receives 
scores  or  hundreds  of  such  letters  daily,  and  to  the  great  majority 
of  them  he  can  of  course  pay  no  attention.  To  which  letters 
should  he  give  heed  ?  Only  to  those  that  observe  principles 
already  laid  down — to  letters  that  are  in  some  way  individual, 
striking,  and  obtrusive.  A  well  displayed,  carefully  spaced  letter 
will  receive  more  attention  than  one  in  which  all  the  items  are 
shown  as  of  the  same  importance,  and  in  which  the  spacing  is  not 
proper.  A  typewritten  letter  will  make  a  better  impression  than  a 
pen-written  letter. 

A  letter  forcibly,  interestingly,  yet  compactly  written  will  win 
a  hearing  sooner  than  a  dull,  wandering  offer. 

It  is,  however,  a  mistaken  notion  on  the  part  of  some  people 
that  the  mere  wording  of  a  letter  can  win  business — that  literary 
merit  alone  may  be  sufficient.  In  addition  to  attractive  style,  there 
must  be  business  worth.  The  reader  of  the  letter  must  feel  that 
he  obtains  definite  advantages  in  buying  the  goods  offered.  All 
that  good  literary  style  can  do  (and  it  is  in  itself  a  necessary 
and  valuable  service)  is  to  display  these  advantages  effectively 

87 
7— (400) 


STYLE-BOOK  .OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Illustrating  Narrow-Column  Note-head 


Fourth  Page 


First  Page 

BOULEVARD  TRUST  COMPANY 

Boulevard  &  Tenth  Street 

New  York 

June3,  1913. 

Messrs.  Tomlinson  &  Lee, 
13  Union  Square,  New  York. 

Gentlemen  : 

It  is  often  asked  what  the  differ- 
ence is  between  a  bank  and  a 
trust  company. 

There  is  no  difference  as  far  as 
the  ordinary  depositor  can  see. 

The  real  difference  is  that  in  addi- 
tion to  doing  a  banking  business, 
a  trust  company  may  act  as 
executor,  trustee,  etc.,  while  a 
bank  may  not. 

The  Boulevard  Trust  Company 
does  a  general  commercial  banking 
business  and  seeks  the  accounts 
of  merchants  and  manufacturers, 
which  are  handled  on  the  same  basis 
and  terms  as  in  banks. 

If  you  are  not  entirely  pleased 
with  your  present  banking  connec- 
tion, I  should  be  glad  to  have 
you  call  on  us. 

Yours  very  truly, 

President. 


Note  the  absence  of  paragraph  indention.  When  this  page  is  folded  on  the 
dotted  line,  with  the  print  showing  on  the  outside,  it  represents  the  first  and 
fourth  pages  of  a  commercial  size  note-head — about  one-half  the  size  of  a 
letter-head  or  full-size  sheet. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  89 


Illustrating  Business  Offer 

HOWARD  VINCENT  THEODORE  KAISER 
President  Cashier 

EDWARD  RADLER  FREDERICK  GUDGE 
Vice-President  Asst.  Cashier 

NORTH    RIVER   NATIONAL   BANK 
1852   CHARTERED    AS    STATE   BANK,    AS    NATIONAL   BANK  1865 

680   NINTH   AVE. 
Cable  Address 

Northriver 

New   York,  February  9,  1910 
Tel.   1711  Spring 

Messrs.  Isaac  Pitman  &  Sons, 
2  W.  45th  St.,  City. 

Gentlemen  : 

We  ask  you  to  read  this  letter  because  it  is  not  of  a  kind 
you  may  have  received  from  other  sources.     It  is  not  couched  in 
language  which  promises  and  does  not  fulfil,  nor  does  it   endeavor  to 
allure  you  with  possible  advantages  which  may  not  be  realized. 

It  is  not  a  soliciting  letter.  It  is  a  simple  announcement 
that  we  are  in  business  to  do  business. 

All  banks  desire  more  clients,  more  customers.  So  do  we. 
But,— we  want  good  ones,  responsible  ones,— such  as  they  receive 
fair  treatment. 

We  believe  that  there  are  many  who  want  to  be  in  a  bank 
of  our  kind,  where  they  are  known  and  treated  as  individuals. 

We  further  believe  that  many  would  come  to  us  if  they  knew 
us,  and  if  they  knew  of  us. 

If  you  agree  with  us,  think  of  it,  and  tell  others. 
Yours  truly, 

HOWARD  VINCENT, 
President. 


90  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Illustrating  the  Single-spaced  Letter 

ADDRESS    ALL    COMMUNICATIONS    TO    THE    COMPANY 

HKNRY  L.  THOMPSON,  President  HENRY  L.  GIBSON,  Treasurer 

JOHN  GIBSON,  Vice-President  FRANK  WELLMAN,  Secretary 

PHOTOGRAVURES 

THE  HENRY  L.  GIBSON  COMPANY 

SEVENTEENTH  STREET  AND  NINTH  AVENUE 
refe?pt'oy  please  NORTH    PHILADELPHIA 

February  16,   1908. 

American  Architect  Magazine, 
New  York. 

Gentlemen  : 

We  have  installed  at  Philadelphia,  regardless  of 
expense,  a  complete  plant,  replete  with  all  the  latest  requi- 
sites for  the  production  of  photogravure  plates  from  the. 
smallest  to  the  largest  sizes. 

All  the  work  will  be  executed  under  the  direct 
personal  supervision  of  Mr.  M.  Henri  Metenier,  a  student 
and  for  years  an  associate  of  Mr.  Thomas  Collins,  of  London, 
the  universally  acknowledged  master  and  foremost  exponent  of 
photogravure  in  England. 

Our  principal  work  will  be  for  publishers  who 
require  or  desire  the  very  best. 

We  already  have  one  of  the  largest  plate-printing 
plants  in  the  United  States,  and  can  handle  the  printing  with 
unusual  promptness,  under  the  direction  of  a  most  capable  and 
experienced  foreman.  ^ 

The  enclosed  samples  are  submitted  as  proof  of 
our  ability  to  give  you  quality.     If  you  have  this  kind  of 
work  in  contemplation  let  us  quote  you  special  prices  for 
introduction. 

Your  communications  will  be  promptly  responded 
to  by  letter  or  in  person  as  the  conditions  require. 

Hoping  to  have  your  much  esteemed  favors,  we  are 

Very  truly  yours, 
THE  HENRY  L.  GIBSON  Co. 

CHE/LE  President 

The  reason  for  this  style  of  display  is  that  there  is  too  much  matter  to  be 
written  double  spaced,  and  were  it  single  spaced  without  extra  space  between 
paragraphs  it  would  not  balance  properly.  Observe  the  wide  margins. 


STYLE-BOOK    OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH  91 


Illustrating  the  Style  of  Newspaper  Advertising 
as  Introduced  into  a  Business  Letter 


THE  wf  KtW 

MONTHLV       \/    QUARTER!  1  M.ir.p.;,iw,fe«r 

"°°""™' 


STYLE  BOOK 


ADVERTISING  DEPARTMENT 

METROPOLITAN    TOWER 
NEW  YOHK 

SUBJECT: 
Plan  A  and  Plan  B 

New  York,  N.  Y.,  June  !,  1913. 

Mr.  American  Manufacturer, 
Busytown, 

New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

You  are  advertising  an  article  that  women  buy. 

Suppose  you  should  decide  to  advertise  this 
article  of  yours  to  the  well-to-do  women  of,  say, 
twenty-six  or  twenty-eight  large  cities. 

Now,  to  make  known  your  article  in 

Plan  A  twenty-eight  large  cities 

$3,423  WITHOUT 

the  aid  of  leading  local  merchants-- 
thus  ignoring  the  wonderful  opportun- 
ity that  their  persistent  newspaper 
advertising  has  made  for  you--would 
cost  you  $3,423. 

But,  to  make  known  your  article  in 
Plan  Bthe  same  twenty-eight  cities 
$'543  WITH 

the  aid  of  leading  local  merchants-- 
taking full  advantage  of  the  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  dollars  they  have 
skilfully  invested  in  newspaper  ad- 
vertising—would cost  you  only  $543. 

Figure  the  whole  thing  out  for  yourself.   On 
the  next  four  pages  you  will  find,  worked  out  in 
detail,  the  two  plans. 

Yours  very  truly, 

THE  HOME  PATTERN  COMPANY, 


92  STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Test-Letter  i 

Rewrite  this  letter.    Student  must  find  fifteen 
of  the  errors  to  obtain  Grade  A 

BARTON    BROS.   &     CO. 

IMPORTED  AND  DOMESTIC  LIQUORS,  ETC. 

14  Ferguson  Street 

Boston,  Mass.,  January  2,   1914. 

Messrs.  E.  Wilkins  &  Son, 
345  West  Street, 
New  York. 

Gentlemen  : 

We  are  sending  you  a  package  containing  a  sample  each 
of  our  best  brandy,  water,  and  wine.     We  handle  the  better  and 
the  most  elegant  wines  only.     We  have  three  grades  of  brandies, 
but  think  that  you  would  like  the  better  one  only.     Such  another 
very  unique  and  splendid  bargain  may  never  be  offered  again.     As 
we  think  it  practical  to  sell  these  goods  and  knowing  you  to  be  a 
practicable  man  we  do  not  hesitate  to  send  you  a  consignment. 

In  placing  them  before  your  customers  be  careful  to  see 
that  the  casks  are  not  left  partially  open,  as  the  wine  spoils  and 
becomes  unhealthy.     A  great  big  fool  done  this  once.     There  was 
a  terrible  scene  and  he  was  fired  out  awfully  hard.     Luckily  he  fell 
on  his  feet,  which  did  not  hurt  him  much.     You  will  find  the 
brandies  especially  lovely  and  grand.     We  scarcely  expect  you   to 
do  much  before  March. 

Hoping  to  receive  your  valuable  commands,  we  are 

Yours  truly, 


STYLE-BOOK   OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH  93 

In  connection  with  letters  offering  business  it  may  be  well  to 
emphasize  a  point  which  is  of  first  importance  in  correspondence  of 
any  kind.  The  point  is  this  :  most  letters  partake  of  the  nature  of~ 
a  contract,  and  as  such  should  be  worded  with  extreme  care. 
Should  you  make  an  offer  in  a  letter  to  sell  goods  at  a  certain  price, 
and  should  the  recipient  of  the  letter  accept  your  offer,  you  would  be 
legally  bound  to  live  up  to  the  terms  of  your  contract — your  letter. 
That  is,  no  matter  how  disagreeable  or  disadvantageous  these 
terms  might  afterwards  prove  to  be.  Moreover,  your  letter  would 
bind  you  in  minor  details,  such  as  delivery  of  goods,  condition  of 
goods,  and  the  like.  No  man  should  enter  into  business  relations 
without  carefully  studying  the  main  principles  of  the  law  of  con- 
tract ;  and  certainly  no  man  should  offer  goods  in  a  letter  without 
insisting  on  the  accuracy  of  the  wording. 

Pupils  should  realize  this.  There  are  occupations  where  approxi- 
mate accuracy  is  acceptable.  Perfection  is  not  thought  of  ;  but 
who  ever  heard  of  a  business  man  willing  to  have  his  correspondence 
only  nearly  correct  ?  In  many  schools  pupils  pass  to  a  higher 
class  with  only  a  seventy-per-cent.  knowledge  of  the  subject  studied  ; 
similarly  in  the  Civil  Service.  No  wonder  they  have  absolutely 
no  sense  of  what  constitutes  acceptable  work  in  the  business  world  ! 
Business  men  want  greater  accuracy  than  that.  Employers  will  not 
accept  stenographers  whose  work  shows  several  errors  on  a  page. 
Pupils  should,  therefore,  know  that  a  letter  containing  a  single  error 
has  little  commercial  value.  A  few — a  very  few— understand  this  and 
get  their  work  out  on  a  hundred-per-cent.  basis.  Others  cannot 
understand  why  business  men  should  expect  better  work  than  teachers. 

As  the  majority  of  beginners  are  rejected  for  reasons  other  than 
those  relating  to  typing  and  stenography,  is  it  not  true  that  instruc- 
tion in  commercial  English  and  correspondence  must  be  of  at  least 
equal  importance  ?  Fast  shorthand  is  by  no  means  essential  in  securing 
a  place  any  more  than  is  quick  typing.  Positions  are  not  altogether 
to  the  quick  nowadays  in  the  commercial  field,  but  rather  to  the 
accurate  and  well  informed.  One  hundred  words  a  minute  is  the 
average  for  shorthand.  But  how  many  are  able  to  pass  an  examina- 
tion in  business  English  with  more  than  fifty  per  cent.  ?  Only  one 
in  ten,  as  actual  examinations  show. 


94  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Illustrating  Contract 

THE   HENRY    KROHN    BUILDING    COMPANY 

(Established  1858) 
ENGINEERS    AND   CONTRACTORS 

Ordway  Building 
NEWARK,  NEW  JERSEY 

Main  Office  David  W.  Taylor 

PATERSON,  N.  J.  CONTRACTING  ENGINEER 

June  14,   1913. 

Public  Service  Electric  Company, 
Newark,  N.  J. 

Attention  of  MY.  A.  R.  Kane. 

Gentlemen  : 

We  will  supply  all  the  labor  and  furnish  all  the  material 
necessary  to  complete  the  proposed  Sub-station  at  Westwood,  N.  J., 
according  to  plans  and  specifications  prepared  by  your  engineer, 
for  the  sum  of  twenty-two  hundred  ($2200.00)  dollars. 

Trusting  that  we  may  be  favored  with  your  valued  order 
for  this  work,  we  beg  to  remain 

Yours  very  truly, 

THE  HENRY  KROHN  BUILDING  Co. 
By  N.  K.  Ingram. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  95 


We  may  note  finally  an  important  type  of  letters  offering  business 
which  proceed,  so  to  speak,  from  the  opposite  direction  to  those 
already  considered.  These  are  letters  written  by  a  firm  which 
seeks  to  buy  goods  and  asks  for  credit.  Here  business  men  go 
through  certain  definite  processes  of  investigation — they  aim  to 
discover,  by  means  of  certain  agencies  like  Dun's  or  Bradstreet's, 
whether  the  credit  of  the  writer  of  the  letter  is  good  and  how  good. 
A  caution  may  be  administered  to  the  writer  of  such  letters  : 
Usually  a  plain  statement  of  facts  is  more  influential  in  securing 
credit  than  a  letter  the  tone  of  which  is  too  persuasive  and 
plausible. 

Review  Questions  for  Chapter  VII 

1  When  "  New  York  "  is  written  "  N.  Y."  does  it  refer  to  the 
city  or  the  State  ? 

2  Which  of  the  following  forms  is  correct  ? 

21  Broad  Street,  N.  Y. 

18  Jones  Street,  New  York  City. 

4  Broadway,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

3  Grand  Street,  New  York. 

3  What  is  done  in  order  greatly  to  emphasize  certain  words 
in  the  letter  ?     Show  five  different  ways  of  emphasizing  words  in 
business  literature. 

4  What  is  meant  by  a  mailing-list  ?     For  what  purposes  is 
such  a  list  employed  ? 

5  What  type  of  letters  will  receive  attention  ? 

6  Will  the  mere  wording  of  a  letter  secure  business  ?     What 
is  necessary  ? 

7  In  what  sense  is  it  true  that  a  letter  is  a  contract  ?     What 
effect  should  this  have  on  the  wording  of  your  letters  ? 

8  What  is  the  attitude  of  employers  towards  "  approximate 
accuracy  "  ? 

9  What  happens  in  any  office  when  a  letter  is  received  asking 
for  credit  ? 

10  For  what  reasons  do  employers  reject  applicants  for 
positions  ? 


96  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Exercises 
Request  for  Credit 

(Write  letter  for  each  paragraph) 

(a)  Messrs.  Henderson  &  Co.,  36  King  St.,  Toronto,  Can.,  wish  to 
correspond  with  James  Wilson  &  Co.,  of  New  Orleans,  La.,  to  pur- 
chase raw  sugar  and  molasses  in  large  quantities  on  an  open  account 
with  ninety  days'  credit.  They  furnish  reference  from  local  banks 
and  business  houses  with  which  they  now  deal. 

(b)  The  commercial  traveler,  Mr.  C.  L.  Keene,  of  James  Wilson 
&  Co.,  receives  this  letter  at  40  Broadway,  New  York,  and  is  asked 
at  once  to  get  full  information  from  the  commercial  agencies  as  to 
the  standing  of  the  prospective  customer. 

(c)  Mr.  Keene  inquires  and  receives  a  rather  unfavorable  report 
of  the  business  rating  of  Henderson  &  Co.,  but  not  fully  satisfied 
therewith  goes  to  Toronto  for  further  investigation.     His  inquiries 
at  their  works  do  not  result  satisfactorily,  as  they  fail  to  furnish 
detailed  information  as  to  the  monthly  volume  of  business  trans- 
actions, amount  of  working  capital,  future  prospects,  and  did  not 
invite  him  to  inspect  the  workings  of  their  plant.     From  informa- 
tion obtained,  however,  he  believes  their  business  to  be  worth 
accepting,  but  recommends  that  great  vigilance  be  exercised  in 
granting  credit  and  exacting  payments. 

(d)  James  Wilson  &  Co.  reply  to  Henderson  &  Co.'s  communi- 
cation and  say  that  they  should  be  greatly  pleased  to  do  business 
with  them,  but  that  their  credit  man  reports  their  standing  not  to  be 
strictly  of  the  first  class  ;  and  that,  therefore,  they  would  hardly  be 
justified  in  granting  ninety  days'  time  on  sales.     The  best  they  could 
offer  would  be  thirty  days,  and  that  they  would  make  a  special 
effort  under  the  circumstances  to  favor  them  by  allowing  an  unus- 
ually large  discount  for  cash.     They  thank  them  for  their  courtesy 
and  hope  they  will  be  able  to  accept  the  conditions  mentioned. 

Containing  Enclosure 

Write  to  the  New  York  Real  Estate  Co.  and  say  that  the  exchange 
of  houses  they  made  for  you  was  very  satisfactory.  Enclose  a 
check  for  $410.95  to  cover  the  difference  in  price  and  their 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  97 


commission.  Request  them  to  send  a  receipted  bill.  Add  that  you 
have  another  house  in  Brooklyn,  worth  about  $7,000,  which  you 
would  like  to  sell  for  cash.  Ask  them  whether  they  can  sell  this 
and  at  what  percentage  in  commission.  Thank  them  for  the 
manner  in  which  they  made  the  exchange  of  your  other  house. 
Be  sure  to  mention  the  enclosure  of  check  ;  also  see  that  the  check 
is  pinned  to  the  sheet. 

3     Narrative 

Brown  £  Smithers  is  a  firm  at  65  W.  14th  St.,  New  York,  in  the 
wholesale  millinery  business.  The  firm  is  composed  of  two  women 
and  one  man.  They  sell  hat-shapes,  silk  trimmings,  linings, 
ribbons,  flowers,  elastics,  hat-bands,  feathers,  braids,  wire  forms, 
buckles,  jet  ornaments,  etc.  Their  terms  of  sale  are  supposed 
to  be  strictly  C.  O.  D.,  though  if  they  know  a  person  well  they  may 
modify  the  terms. 

You  wish  to  start  a  retail  millinery  store.  You  need  so  many 
yards  or  dozens  of  the  supplies  mentioned  above.  You  are  dealing 
with  this  firm  for  the  first  time  and  must  approach  them  properly, 
as  you  are  not  able  to  pay  cash  and  would  like  credit  terms  according 
to  your  circumstances.  Mention  the  terms  you  would  like  to  have 
and  your  references.  Give  them  gently  to  understand  that  they 
have  competitors  near  your  town  who  can  supply  you  in  case  the 
terms  are  too  hard. 

First  make  a  business-letter  diagram  and  then  fill  in.  Write 
in  order-form  a  list  of  articles.  Your  work  will  be  judged  according 
to  neatness  in  appearance  and  excellence  of  composition. 

4     Acknowledging  Receipt 

Write  to  the  firm  of  Madame  Louise,  610  Fifth  Avenue,  New 
York,  stating  that  their  letter  with  check  for  $75.40  has  been 
received  and  that  you  have  credited  them  with  the  amount,  which 
balances  their  account  to  date.  Say  that  you  have  recently  in- 
vented a  new  improved  model-stand  which  would  be  profitable  for 
them  to  have  in  their  store.  Tell  them  that,  if  interested,  you  will 
be  glad  to  send  a  man  to  demonstrate  its  superiority  over  the 


98  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


old-style  stands.     Express  your  thanks  for  the  prompt  settlement 
of  their  bill,  and  also  your  hope  to  receive  further  orders. 

NOTE. — The  firm  of  "  Madame  Louise  "  is  composed  of  three 
men  and  one  woman.     Use  correct  title  and  salutation. 


5     Letter  Asking  for  Credit 

Write  to  the  female  firm  of  Fiske  &  Co.,  Broome  St.,  Boston, 
Mass.,  in  reply  to  their  letter  of  the  26th  instant  and  say  that  you 
are  satisfied  with  the  prices  and  terms  of  payment  sent  by  them. 
Ask  them  to  forward  the  articles  in  the  enclosed  list,  and  say  that 
if  the  goods  conform  to  the  description  in  the  catalogues  you  will 
have  the  pleasure  of  doing  business  with  their  house.  State  that 
your  reference  will  afford  them  all  information  respecting  you 
which  they  may  desire,  and  should  they  need  further  references 
that  you  will  forward  the  names  of  two  or  three  other  houses. 
Inform  them  that  you  will  notify  them  upon  receipt  of  the  goods, 
and  that  they  may  then  draw  upon  you  at  three  months  for  the 
amount. 

NOTE. — Be  careful  to  select  the  correct  title  and  salutation. 

6  As  Harry  Joseph  &  Co.,  write  a  letter  to  your  customers 
offering  them  the  privilege  of  deferring  payment  until  February 
on  goods  bought  during  the  holiday  season.     Tell  them  why  you 
do  this. 

7  You  are  a  real  estate  firm — George  Schultz  &  Sons,  Realty 
Investments,    Policy    Insurance    Building,    Buffalo,    New    York. 
You  have  opened  up  some  new  apartment  houses.     Write  a  letter 
suitable  for  sending  to  any  one  of  a  number  of  persons  of  moderate 
means  and  address  it  to  your  teacher.     Describe  the  advantages 
of  these  apartments. 

8  Notify  Howard  A.  Keller,  Painter  and  Decorator,  in  a  letter 
from  William  Field  Pierson,  Consulting  Engineer,  736  Walnut  St., 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  that  proposals  will  be  received  up  to  a  certain 
time  and  date  for  furnishing  all  labor  and  materials  for  painting 
work  in   construction   of    proposed    building   at    19   Elm   Street. 
State  that  he  may  see  the  plans  and  specifications  at  the  office  of 
the  writer. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH. 


9  Write  a  letter  from  the  large  department  store  of  the  Henry 
Hayes  Co.  calling  attention  to  the  advantages  of  their  new  piano 
department. 

10  As  Branegan  &  Fisk,  Manufacturers  of  Trunks,  Suit-Cases, 
etc.,  Main  Offices  and  Factories,  Newark,  N.  J.,  write  a  letter  to 
one  of  your  customers  at  San  Francisco,  Mr.  F.  Lenroot,  19  Arch 
Street,  notifying  him  that  in  view  of  the  fact  that  your  repre- 
sentative, Mr.   F.   S.   Haight,  has  been  appointed  postmaster  at 
Portland,  Oregon,  you  have  decided  to  adopt  a  new  sales  plan. 
This  plan  will  dispense  with  a  traveling  representative,  and  instead, 
a  special  discount  of  5%  will  be  allowed  on  your  regular  wholesale 
prices.     Carload  shipments  will  be  made  to  the  Pacific  Coast  as 
usual.     Offer  to  send  your  latest  price-list,  if  Mr.  Lenroot  has  not 
a  copy  already. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
LETTERS    OF   INQUIRY 

A  VERY  important  division  of  business  correspondence  consists 
of  letters  of  inquiry  and  replies  to  them.  Naturally,  a  somewhat 
different  style  will  be  employed  in  the  inquiry  itself  and  in  the  reply 
thereto.  The  letter  of  inquiry  should  be  worded  as  simply  and 
clearly  as  possible.  Be  sure  you  have  included  in  your  letter 
queries  concerning  all  the  facts  in  which  you  are  interested.  Do 
not  go  into  long  explanations,  and  if  you  are  asking  for  replies  to 
several  questions,  number  them  and  arrange  them  neatly.  If 
it  is  of  no  direct  advantage  to  the  person  whom  you  address  to 
answer  your  question, — if  in  other  words  he  is  to  answer  it  merely 
out  of  courtesy, — enclose  stamped  and  addressed  envelope  for  his 
reply.  If  it  is  part  of  his  daily  business  routine  to  answer  such 
letters,  this  need  not  be  done. 

Replies  to  letters  of  inquiry  should  in  the  first  place  always 
contain  a  solid  basis  ot  facts.  Then,  if  you  feel  that  to  gain  business 
from  the  writer  of  the  letter  of  inquiry  it  is  necessary  to  forestall 
possible  competition,  you  may  add  certain  words  of  persuasion. 
But  such  persuasion  should  always  be  moderately  and  modestly 
worded.  An  inquiry  for  a  catalogue,  bulletin,  or  price-list  is  usually 
answered  with  a  letter  stating  that  the  desired  matter  has  been 
sent  under  separate  cover.  This  may  seem  a  superfluous  letter, 
but  it  is  one  phase  of  the  courtesy  which  so  often  secures  more 
business. 

Note  how  in  the  specimen  answers  the  letter  is  so  broken  up 
into  paragraphs  and  sections  as  to  make  the  whole  subject  stand 
out  more  clearly  and  emphatically. 

A   special   type   of   letters   of   inquiry   is    treated   in   the  next 

section. 

100 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS  ENGLISH'. 


Illustrating  Letter  of  Inquiry 

New  York  Office  and  Salesroom  Cable  Address  : 

18  John  St.  "  Persian  "  New  York. 

All  Codes. 
General  Offices  and  Salesroom, 

12  River  St.,  Hoboken,  N.  J. 

RICHARDS    AND   COMPANY 

Established  1806 
SOAP  MAKERS  AND  PERFUMERS 

Address  reply 
MANUFACTURING  DEPT., 

Hoboken,  N.  J.  New  York,  August  2d,  1913. 

Mr.  Henry  Morris, 
810  Broad  Street, 
Newark,  N.  J. 

Dear  Sir  : 

Will  you  kindly  have  your  representative  call  at  this  office 
some  afternoon  next  week  between  1.30  and  3  o'clock  to  give  us  an 
estimate  on  painting  the  metal  windows  in  our  concrete  building, 
and  oblige 

Yours  very  truly, 

Richards  and  Company, 
W.  J.  DAY, 

Engineer. 
MAB  :  WD. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


The  Broken  Paragraph 

In  the  following  genuine  letter  is  shown  how  a  single  subject 
may  be  broken  into  paragraphs. 

JAMES   GARBLICK   &   SONS 

FIRST-CLASS  CLOTHIERS 

92  Broadway 

New    York,  February  3,   1914. 
Mr.  Arthur  Connell, 
43  Third  Avenue, 

New  York. 
Dear  Sir: 

In  answer  to  your  inquiry  as  to  testing  the  quality  of  a 
coat,   we  request  you  to  apply  the  following  : 

Lay  the  coat  flat  on  a  table,  as  shown  in  the  picture. 
If  the  Collar  then  lies  straight  and  true,  at  turn-over 
line,  and  at  outer  edge,  you  may  rely  upon  the  Coat's 
being  free  from  Flat-Iron  faking. 

If  the  Collar  lies  wrinkled  and  wavy  toward  outer 
edge,  when  the  turn-over  line  is  straight,  then  look  out  foi 
a  speedy  loss  of  shape. 

Because  such  a  coat   has  probably  been  cut,  and  made 
up,  in  a  faulty  manner. 

And  its  faulty  form,  and  faulty  workmanship,  had  to 
be  covered  temporarily  by  Flat-Iron  faking,  in  order  to 
sell  it. 

And  this  Flat-  Iron  faking  wilts  out  as  soon  as  the 
garment  is  worn  in  damp  weather. 

Then  the  Collar  binds  down  on  the  back  of  your  neck 

—  Then  the  left  Lapel  bulges  up  away  from  the  vest  — 

—  Then  the  Armholes  pinch  you  at  every  movement. 
Any  garment  made  by  us  can  stand  these  tests.     May  we  not 

have  an  order  from  you  ? 

Very  truly  yours, 


1.  Note  the  capitalization  of  the  principal  words — Coat,  Collar,  Flat-iron,  etc. 

2.  Note  the  effort  to  command  attention  by  the  free  use  of  commas  to  break 
the  sentences  into  several  parts. 

3.  The  governing  principle  in  capitalizing  common  nouns  in  business  corre- 
spondence is  the  same  as  that  used  in  advertisements,  namely,  the  necessity 
of  making  more  prominent,  more  attractive,  and  more  emphatic  the  words 
that  constitute  the  subject  of  the  letter — Jones's  Superfine  Sweet-Oil  Soap. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  ^  itf  3 


Illustrating  the  Broken  Sentence 


COR  WELL,    JAY     &    Co. 
Established   1857 

STATIONERS,  LITHOGRAPHERS,  AND  BLANK  BOOK 
MANUFACTURERS 

Office   and    Factory,    44    Pearl   Street 

Telephone:  Worth  379,  P.  O.  Box  1070. 

New    York,  May  15,   1913. 

Mr.  H.  W.  Bestor, 

825  Grand  Avenue, 

Brooklyn,  N.    Y. 

Dear  Sir  : 

Agreeably  to  your  request  we  quote  on  furnishing  : 

1000  Letter  Heads,  8  1/2  x    11,  printed  in  two  colors,  on 
20-pound  White  Old  Hampshire  Bond  and 

1000     ~ff-  6  3/4   Envelopes,   with  printed  corner-card,  in 
black  ink, 

for  $11.00 

Trusting  to  be  favored  with  your  valued  order,  we  are 

Very  truly  yours, 
G.W.  CORWELL,  JAY  &  CO. 


8— (400) 


K)4  ^STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Illustrating  the  Sectional  Paragraph 

THE   NEW   YORK   HOSPITAL 
Fifteenth  Street 

New    York,   February  3,   1914. 
.Mrs.  T.  Headley, 

34  Fourth  Street, 

New  York. 
Dear  Madam  : 

We  acknowledge  your  letter  of  February  2,  in  which 
you  inquire  as  to  your  granddaughter's  entering  the  College  of 
Surgeons  and  Physicians  to  become  an  assistant.     Before  seeing 
her  we  must  have  the  following  points  answered  : 

1.  Parents'  History. 

a.  Father's  name,  and  mother's  (maiden). 

b.  State  of  health,  if  living. 

c.  Age,  if  dead,  and  of  what  disease. 

2.  Granddaughter's  History. 

a.  Name,  nationality,  and  birthplace. 

b.  State  of  health,  height,  and  weight. 

c.  Is  she  very  desirous  to  become  a  nurse  ? 

3.  Means  of  Support. 

a.  Has  she  means  of  her  own  ? 

b.  If  not,  on  whom  does  she  depend  ? 

c.  Will  she  learn  the  profession  to  earn  a  living  ? 

Only  those  who  intend  to  finish  the  course  and  to 
practise  afterward  are  admitted. 

As  soon  as  we  have  received  the  information  desired 
we  shall  be  pleased  to  correspond  with  you  further. 
Yours  truly, 


A  number,  when  beginning  a  sentence  or  a  paragraph,  should  be  written  out 
in  word-form  except  when  used  as  shown  on  this  page  or  in  an  order  for  goods. 
Ex.  :  Nine  men,  100  women,  and  800  children  were  lost. 

It  is  better  to  use  the  phrase  "  of  February  2  ' '  instead  <?f  "  of  the  2d  instant, ' ' 
as  it  is  more  effective  in  calling  the  date  to  mind. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  105 


Requesting  Confidential  Information 

Before  giving  credit  to  a  stranger  who  desires  to  open  an  account 
it  is  customary  to  make  inquiries  as  to  his  character  and  commercial 
standing.  This  information  may  be  obtained  by  subscribers  of 
commercial  agencies — Dun's,  Bradstreet's,  etc. — upon  the  payment 
of  a  fee.  Or  it  may  be  obtained  from  those  to  whom  the  person 
desiring  the  credit  personally  refers. 

If  the  report  from  the  agency  be  highly  satisfactory  it  is  not 
always  customary  to  request  references  from  the  person  who  applies 
for  credit.  But  when  the  rating  given  is  not  first-class  a  request  is 
made  for  references  from  reliable  persons.  These  references  are  in 
turn  carefully  investigated.  If  they  are  found  to  consist  of  business 
men  of  good  standing  an  appeal  is  made  to  them  to  furnish 
information  concerning  the  person  who  desires  to  open  the  account. 
If  their  report  be  favorable  the  credit  is  granted. 

Letters  of  this  kind  are  strictly  confidential  and  should  be 
guardedly  written.  An  opinion  as  to  the  reliability  of  the  person 
asking  for  credit  should  in  no  case  be  founded  on  rumor,  but  should 
exactly  conform  to  known  facts  as  to  his  character  and  business 
affairs.  Unless  satisfactory  information  is  obtainable  on  which  to 
base  or  to  refuse  a  recommendation  it  is  better  to  decline  and  to 
request  the  writer  to  refer  to  some  one  else.  A  person  in  doubt  as 
to  another's  standing  should  not  presume  to  pass  opinion. 

Letters  conveying  information  of  this  kind  should  not  contain 
the  name  of  the  person  described  ;  for,  should  errors  of  statement 
be  made  and  become  publicly  known  the  writer  would  be  liable  to 
punishment  for  circulating  matter  injurious  to  another's  welfare. 
It  is  a  form  of  libel  severely  punishable  by  law.  Besides  avoiding 
an  action  for  libel,  the  one  who  furnishes  the  information  protects 
himself  against  those  who  some  day  may  become  business  enemies 
and  who  would  thus  be  in  a  position  to  inflict  injury  by  betraying 
him  to  the  person  he  declined  to  recommend. 

The  letters  on  the  following  page  illustrate  a  letter  of  inquiry  and 
a  reply  that  conform  to  the  above  requirements. 


106  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Illustrating  Request  for  Information 

New    York,  October  5.   1913. 
Mmes.  Hampton  &  Co., 

214  South  Chickory  St., 

Chicago,  111. 
Mesdames  : 

Will  you  kindly  furnish  us  with  information  respecting 
Messrs.  Brown  Brothers,  of  Columbus,  Ohio  ?     These  gentlemen 
have  given  your  name  as  reference,  saying  that  you  would  proba- 
bly recommend  that  a  credit  of  $50,000  (fifty  thousand)  be  given  them. 
This  is  a  large  sum  to  grant  under  the  circumstances,  so  we  should 
be  greatly  indebted  to  you  for  your  opinion  as  to  their  trustworthi- 
ness.    As  the  matter  is  urgent  you  may  'phone  us  on  'Change  here 
at  our  expense.     We  shall  hold  ourselves  at  your  disposal  at  any 
time  for  a  corresponding  service  here  in  the  East. 
Respectfully  yours, 

STONE  &  Co. 
ANSWER 

Chicago,   III.,  October  9,  1913. 
Messrs.  Stone  &  Co., 

621   Broadway, 
New  York. 
Gentlemen : 

The    subject    of    your    letter    of    October    5    has    been 
carefully  considered.     We  ourselves  have  given  this  firm  credit  to 
the  extent  mentioned  in  your  letter,  though  we  found  from  in- 
quiries that  they  had  difficulty  in  making  the  final  payments. 
The  members  of  the  firm  stand  high  among  their  townsmen  and 
have  excellent  local  credit.     Yet,  considering  the  amount  involved, 
we  must  say  that  we  should  recommend  them  as  being  moderately 
good  only. 

Yours  respectfully, 

HAMPTON  &  Co. 


Sums  of  money  are  frequently  written  out  as  well  as  put  in  figures  to  prevent 
error  or  alteration,  such  as  in  contracts,  bank-checks,  bonds,  etc.  Especially 
is  this  true  of  numbers  containing  ciphers,  as  it  is  easy  carelessly  to  strike'too 
many. 

Attention   is   called  to  the  fact  that  the  "  Manual  of  Style  ' '  of  the  United 
States  Government  requires  the  complimentary  close  to  be  punctuated  as 
Yours,  respectfully, 
Respectfully,  yours, 
It  is  not  obligatory  to  follow  the  style  of  any  Government. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH  107 

Spelling 

Do  you  spell  correctly  ?  If  you  do  not,  you  will  find  your  path 
in  the  business  world  a  somewhat  thorny  one.  The  ability  to  spell 
correctly  is  partly  an  inborn  gift ;  but  anyone,  by  taking  pains, 
can  learn  to  spell  the  great  majority  of  words  according  to  received 
usage.  Most  people  make  habitual  mistakes  only  in  the  case  of  a 
few  words.  It  is  advisable  that  everyone  form  a  little  private 
dictionary  of  his  own,  in  which  he  keeps  the  words  that  he  finds 
himself  misspelling  again  and  again. 

The  selection  of  style  in  spelling  is  also  of  much  importance.  The 
dictionaries  used  in  the  business  offices  in  this  country  are  the 
Standard,  the  Century,  Webster's,  and  Worcester's.  The  first  three 
named  do  not,  as  a  rule,  radically  differ  from  one  another.  Six 
other  dictionaries  (ten  in  all)  are  used  principally  in  the  British 
Empire.  In  these  books,  all  claiming  preference,  there  are  more  than 
1,000  common,  untechnical  words  spelled  in  various  ways.  All  are 
used  by  everybody.  Worcester's  dictionary,  however,  differs 
so  much  from  the  others  in  use  in  the  United  States  that  every 
teacher  should  be  able  to  explain  that  difference.  Webster's 
International  is  the  authority  adopted  by  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment. Most  publishing-houses  use  either  the  Standard  or  the 
Century ;  the  more  up-to-date  business  offices  use  either  the  Stan- 
dard or  Webster's.  Worcester's  is  used  principally  by  trade  papers 
and  by  long-established  houses  attached  to  older  forms  in  printing. 

Of  the  1,000  variant  spellings  in  different  dictionaries  526  are  used 
daily  even  by  the  uneducated.  This  fact,  however,  is  really  of 
little  matter  to  the  ordinary  teacher,  as  each  school  formally  adopts 
one  dictionary  or  spelling-book  as  authority ;  similarly  with 
business  houses.  The  only  spelling  in  a  school  should  be  that  of 
the  dictionary  prescribed,  the  teacher,  when  in  doubt,  solving  the 
problem  by  reference  to  that  dictionary.  It  is,  of  course,  understood 
that  the  first  way  of  spelling  a  word  as  shown  in  the  dictionary  is 
the  one  to  teach  and  no  other.  Now,  almost  any  spelling  in  vogue 
in  this  country  is  satisfactory  in  business  offices  employing  a  low 
grade  of  stenographers,  but  in  offices  that  demand  better  style  in 
language  secretaries  are  frequently  restricted  to  the  use  of  a  certain 
dictionary  only.  Teachers  of  advanced  commercial  classes,  therefore, 


108  STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

having  in  charge  students  aiming  to  fill  such  exacting  positions, 
should  be  prepared  to  give  at  least  a  few  reasons  why  dictionaries 
vary  from  one  another.  This  information  can  be  obtained  only  by 
reading  the  preface  to  such  dictionaries  and  by  studying  the  list 
of  variable  spellings  found  in  the  appendixes. 

Spelling  should  conform  to  one  dictionary  only.  Abbreviations 
also  are  fixed  in  form  and  should  be  written  according  to  standard 
usage.  Improper  abbreviations  may  not  be  used  :  such  as  gents., 
for  gentlemen  ;  Mess.,  for  Messrs.  ;  pres't,  for  pres.  (president)  ; 
sec'y,  for  sec.  ;  Jun.,  for  Jr.  ;  Sen.,  for  Sr.,  etc.  Attention  is  here 
called  to  the  fact  that  the  U.S.  Government  writes  jr.  and  sr.  in 
small  letters. 

Division   of   Words  at  End  of  Line 

Properly  to  divide  words  at  the  end  of  a  line  is  quite  as  necessary 
as  to  spell  correctly  ;  though  it  may  be  said  that  little  attention  is 
given  in  classes  to  this  element  in  orthography.  Few  beginners  in 
printing  or  typewriting  know  when,  where,  or  how  correctly  to 
divide,  and  are  quite  astonished  to  learn  that  an  error  of  division  is 
fully  as  bad  as  one  of  letter.  That  no  especial  emphasis  or  drill  is 
laid  upon  the  dividing  of  words  in  the  schools  is  true,  but  that  by 
no  means  relieves  the  student  of  correspondence  of  the  necessity  of 
learning.  A  glance  at  the  work  of  even  good  spellers  reveals  such 
divisions  as  these  : 

occ-urred  re-commend  ho-ping 

access-ible  furn-iture  emph-asis 

cred-it  lov-ed  u-sage 

whereas  the  correct  forms  should  be  : 

oc-curred  recom-mend  hop-ing 

acces-sible  furni-ture  empha-sis 

credit  loved  usage 

The  last  three  should  not  be  divided.  Of  course,  a  graduated 
commercial  student  is  hardly  supposed  to  be  proficient  in  the  finer 
points  of  composition  ;  but  can  he  be  excused  for  imperfect  work  in 
such  simple  things  as  spelling  or  business  punctuation  ?  As  sec- 
retary his  persistent  thought  should  be  :  "  Printed  English  is  my 
product.  In  business,  products  sell  for  what  they  are  worth  and  no 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS  ENGLISH  109 

more."     This  fact,  naturally,  impresses  only  slightly  those  whose 
ambition  does  not  reach  beyond  that  of  typing  the  correspondence 
of  a  junk-dealer  or  of  a  janitor.     But  to  the  wide-awake  it  means 
the  difference  between  $4  a  week  and  several  times  that  figure. 
There  are  three  general  methods  of  division  : 

1.  Division  on  the  vowel 

2.  According  to  etymology 

3.  According  to  pronunciation 

The  third  is  the  most  prevalent  method.  Avoid  dividing  at  all 
unless  necessary  to  prevent  a  too  irregular  margin. 

Never  carry  over  a  syllable  of  two  letters  only. 
-  Do  not  divide  three  times  in  successive  lines. 

Divide  no  words  of  one  syllable  :  jumped,  feared. 

Divide  hyphenated  words  at  the  hyphen  only. 

The  last  word  of  a  paragraph  should  not  be  divided,  or  when  its 
last  word  occupies  a  line  by  itself  ;  also  it  should  not  have  less  than 
two  syllables.  It  is  better  to  make  the  next  to  the  last  line  a  little 
short  than  to  leave  only  one  word  for  the  last  line. 

A  dash  or  a  hyphen  never  begins  a  line. 

Above  all,  do  not  divide  a  person's  name. 

Where  a  vowel  makes  a  syllable  in  the  middle,  let  that  be  the 
place  of  division  : 

fulmi-nate  justi-fied  emi-nent  sepa-rate 

Choose  generally  the  accented  syllable  to  divide  : 

Prog-ress  (n)        pro-gress  (v)         stupid-ity       pres-ent       orthog-raphy 

The  following  rules  will  be  found  to  be  of  great  help  : 
A  consonant  between  two  vowels  goes  into  the  previous  syllable 
when  the  first  vowel  is  short  and  has  stress  ;  as, 

rap-id  pres-ent  (n)  vis-it 

ton-ic  bus-y  crit-ic 

proph-et  prophet-ic  cyn-ic 

fath-om  flor-id  char-ity 
sep-arate 

A  consonant  or  digraph  or  trigraph  between  two  vowels  goes  into 


110  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

the  later  syllable  when  the  first  vowel  is  long,  half-long,  or  obscure 

(except  "  er  "  as  in  gen-er-al)  ;  as, 

fa-tal                               sea-son  sepa-rate 

pro-gram                         seda-tive  omi-nous 

mecha-nism                     pecu-liar  pro-phetic 

medi-cal                           practi-cal  fa-ther 

me-talic                           mo-nopo-ly  pre-sent    (v) 
de-throne                         ca-pacity 

Adjoining  consonants  usually  separate  into  two  syllables ;  as, 

at- tract.                          con-demn  pam-phlet 

syl-lable                          prac-tical  moun-tain 

infan-try                         connec-tion  produc-tive 

detec-tive                       suc-ces-sor*  defen-dant 

as-sis-tant                      mat-ting  cor-respon-dent 

com-pel-ling                   En-glish  En-gland 

Doubled  consonants  ending  a  primitive  word  are  kept  together 

before  a  purely  English  suffix ;  as, 

tell-ing,  hiss-ing 

Purely  English  suffixes  (-ed,  -er,  -est,  -eth,  -ing,  -ish,  -y)  are 
always  kept  distinct  (except  when  the  terminal  letter  of  the  primitive 
word  is  repeated),  as  in 

compel-ling                    heat-ed  hat-ed 

bak-er                             speak-er  speak-est 

wak-eth                          search-eth  hast-ing 

baptiz-ing                       freak-ish  head-y 

Examples  of  difficult  divisions  : 

a-bun-dance                    de-fi-cient  mech-a-nism 

as-sis-tance                     ac-tor  ad-van-tage 

broth-er                           ca-pa-ble  com-pel-ling 

de-tec-tive                       ear-nest  earn-ing 

fa-ther                             moth-er  fea-ture 

forg-ing                            han-dle  han-dling 

ig-no-rance                      mea-sure  plea-sure 

mu-si-cal                          prac-ti-cal  nec-es-sa-ry 

danc-ing                          pranc-ing  pick-ling 

ser-vant                          ser-vice  wo-man 

proc-ess                            pro-duce  (v)  prod-uce  (n) 

prod-uct                          pas-sage  fe-leg-ra-pher 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  111 

Test-Letter  i 

Rewrite  correctly  on  a  Business-Letter  Diagram  of  Letter-head 
size.     Must  correct  twenty-five  errors  for  Grade  A 


NEW   YORK    STATE    FAIR   ASSOCIATION 
ORGANIZED  TO  PROMOTE  AGRICULTURAL  INTERESTS 

Broadway  and  Bedford  Ave. 
PRES.,  Chas.  E.  Speyer.  SEC.,  Thomas  Ward 


Brooklyn  New    York,   1913. 

Mr.  P.  A.  Barton, 
319  State  st., 

Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Dear  sir — 

your  letter  of  the  2  instant  reached  me  on  monday  at  3  P.M.,  91 
fourth  av.     The  rules  of  the  exhibition  this  Spring  can  hardly  cover 
exhibit  A.,  except  the  mss.     The  fault  lies  with  the  state,  or, 
perhaps,  \vith  congress,  according  to  a  decision  of  the  Supreme  court. 
Mr.  Jean  De  la  Motte,  french  Consul,  just  returned  from  the  south 
in  search  of  old  american  Bibles,  highly  approves  the  state  Fair, 
while  Mr.  van  Dyckman,  Dutch  consul,  believes  July  to  be  a  better 
season.     The  exact  date,  however,  will  be  fixed  either  by  the 
legislature  of  the  state  of  new  Hampshire  or  by  congress. 

Yours, 


The  corrected  form  of  this  letter  will  be  judged  by  neatness  of  appearance 
and  excellence  in  writing, 


112  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

When  in  doubt  consult  the  dictionary,  and  keep  a  list  of  all  such 
references  in  an  alphabetically  indexed  handbook. 

In  accepting  a  position  where  you  have  reason  to  think  some 
literary  skill  may  be  required,  be  sure  to  ask  what  dictionary  is  used, 
and  construct  your  spelling  accordingly.  When  you  realize  that 
there  are  one  thousand  common  words  spelled  by  ten  different 
dictionaries  in  from  one  to  five  or  six  different  ways,  and  that  some 
offices  prefer  one  dictionary  to  another,  you  will  then  fully  realize 
that  if  you  are  offered  a  good  salary  for  secretarial  work  it  will  be 
for  skill  higher  than  that  needed  to  pound  the  keys  of  a  typewriter. 


Review  Questions  on  Chapter  VIII 

1  What    kind    of    letters    should    be    regarded    as    strictly 
confidential  ? 

2  Why  should  these  letters  contain  nothing  but  clear  facts — 
utterly  void  of  assertions  and  opinions  ? 

3  Why  should  a  person  not  express  an  off-hand  opinion  on 
another's  financial  standing  ? 

4  To  what  does  he  render  himself  liable  by  doing  the  contrary  ? 

5  Why  does  not  the  name  of  the  person  referred  to  appear  in 
letters  of  the  class  mentioned  above  ? 

6  When  do  you  write  a  number  in  figures  and  when  in  word- 
form  ? 

7  When  and  why  do  you  write  both  words  and  figures  for  a 
sum  of  money  ?     Ex.  :    Fifty  dollars,  $50  ;    5c.,  five  cents. 

8  May  the  first  word  of  a  sentence  begin  with  figures  ? 

9  Of  a  paragraph  ? 

10  May  a  word  of  one  syllable  only  be  divided  ?     May  a  line 
begin  with  a  hyphen  or  a  dash  ? 

11  May    you    divide    "prayers,"    meaning    invocations,    and 
"  prayers,"  those  who  pray  ? 

12  Divide  "  progress,"  a  noun,  and  "  progress,"  a  verb. 

13  Are  any  of  the  following  divisions  correct  ? 

posit-ion  remitt-ed  confus-ion 

debit-ed  ne-cessary,  practic-ally 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH  113 


14  What  is  the  plural  of  : 

analysis  datum  crisis 

memorandum  beau  phenomenon  ? 

15  Are  words  divided  according  to  pronunciation  or  derivation  ? 
Write  a  definition  of  derivation. 

16  Whereabouts  in  the  word  at  the  end  of  the  line  does  the 
division  take  place  ? 

17  Why  is  Worcester's  inferior  ? 

18  Which  spelling  in  the  dictionary  should  be  used,  the  first 
or  the  second  ? 

19  How  many  words  daily  used  are  varyingly  spelled  in  different 
dictionaries  ? 

-  20     In  what  class  of  business  is  consistent  spelling  required  ? 

21  Where    can    you    obtain    information    as    to    the    various 
treatments  of  words  in  spelling  and  dividing  ? 

22  Why  in  the  following  words  of  one  syllable  is  the  final 
consonant  not  doubled  when  changed  to  the  past  tense  ? 

time-d  shame-d  hope-d,  cite-d 

23  Why  in  the  following  words  of  one  syllable  is  the  final 
letter  doubled  ? 

trim-med  fit- ted  sin-ned 

ship-ped  mob-bed  sit-ting 

24  What  is  the  rule  for  making  the  plural  for  words  ending  in 
"  y  "  and  "  ey  "  ? 

25  Why   is   the    "  e "    retained    in    "  singe-ing,"    "  shoe-ing," 
"  traceable  "  ?     To  prevent  mispronunciation.     Why  is  there  no 
"  e  "  in  changing  ?     An  exception. 

26  Which  is  correct,  "  alright,"  "  all  right,"  or  "  allright  "  ? 

27  Which  of  the  following  are  correct  ? 

allso  alltogether  although 

allmost  allmighty  always  ? 

28  Which  are  the  preferred  dictionaries  for  spellings  ? 

29  Is  the  final  "  e  "  generally  dropped  in  words  when  taking 
another  syllable  beginning  with  a  vowel  :  as,  "  ing  "  in  have-ing, 
come-ing,  make-ing  ? 

30  Is  a  wrongly  divided  word  considered  to  be  misspelled  ? 


114  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Exercises 

1  Write  to  G.  P.  Putnam  &  Sons,  New  York,  and  ask  them  to 
send  you  a  copy  of  Byron's  poems.     State  that  you  wish  to  make 
a  present  of  it  to  a  young  woman.     Mention  that  the  print,  binding, 
and  paper  should  be  of  the  best  quality,  though  of  medium  price. 
Ask  for  a  catalogue  showing  all  other  editions  besides  the  one  they 
recommend.     You  might  also  inquire  if  this  would  be  a  suitable 
book,  and  if  not,  what  would  be. 

2  Write  to  any  typewriter  company  in  New  York  and  mention 
the  various  defects  or  difficulties  that  you  have  encountered  in 
operation    of   the  machine  you  now  use,  such  as  the  skipping  of 
spaces,  the  binding  or  jamming  of  the  keys,  hardness  of  the  touch, 
and  three  others.     Ask  if  their  machine  is  easier  and  more  certain 
in  operating  and  to  give  you  a  guarantee.     Inquire  how  much  they 
will  allow  on  your  machine  in  exchange  ;   or,  if  you  rent  a  machine 
from  them,  if  they  will,  in  the  event  of  your  deciding  to  buy,  allow 
as  payment  thereon  what  you  have  expended  as  rent.     Ask  for 
particulars  of  conditions  and  terms  of  leasing  or  of  buying  outright. 

3  (a)  Write   to    the   Boston    &    Maine    Railroad,    Advertising 
Bureau,  Room  537,  South  Station,  Boston,  Mass.,  asking  them  to 
send  you  a  copy  of  their  pamphlet  "  Vacation  Land." 

(b)  Write  a  letter  from  the  above  railroad  in  reply  to  your  inquiry. 
State  that  you  have  forwarded  the  literature  requested.  Say 
something  about  the  advantages  of  New  England  as  a  vacation 
resort. 

4  Write  to  Professor  Hiram  Wilkins,  Professor  of  Agriculture 
at  Haines  College,  Northford,  Maine,  asking  him  whether  he  will 
deliver  lectures  at  Portland  during  the  Easter  recess.     Should  you 
enclose  a  stamped  and  addressed  envelope  ? 

5  Write  from  E.  C.  Cohn  &  Son,  Lace  Importers,  132  W.  28th 
St.,  New  York,  to  Morris  Carter,   12  Elm  St.,  Atlanta,  Georgia, 
informing  him  that  the  memorandum  samples  he  requested  have 
been  sent  him.     Add  a  sentence  expressing  the  hope  that   Mr. 
Carter  will  give  you  his  business. 

6  (a)  Write  to  the  Home  Insurance  Co.,  Richmond,  Va.,  asking 
them   to   send   you   full   information   as   to   "  participating "   life 
insurance  policies. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  115 

(b)  Indite  the  reply  from  the  president  of  the  company,  Jacob 
Gord,  stating  that  you  have  forwarded  literature.  Mention  some 
of  the  advantages  of  life  insurance. 

7  (a)  Write  to  the  Johns  Elevator  Company,  Yonkers,  N.  Y., 
asking  them  to  give  you  an  estimate  on  installing  a  passenger 
elevator  in  your  apartment  house  at  42  Irving  Place,  Tarrytown. 

(b)  Write  the  reply  of  the  Johns  Elevator  Co.  that  they  have 
examined  the  premises,  and  that  a  representative  of  theirs  will 
call  on  you  in  a  few  days  with  the  estimate  asked  for. 

8  As   the   Anti-Dust    Sweeping   Compound   Co.,    241    Farmer 
Street,  Denver,  Colorado,  write  to  Mrs.  William  Peshine,  19  Pound 
St.  of  the  same  city,  that  in  accordance  with  her  request,  you  have 
sent  her  a  free  trial  sample  of  your  compound.     Add  a  few  lines 
as  to  the  economical  and  sanitary  advantages  of  this  sweeping 
compound. 

9  (a)  Write  a  letter,  in  your  English  teacher's  name,  inquiring 
why  a  certain   theme  has  not  been  done  in  typewritten  form. 
Address  this  to  yourself  or  a  fellow-student. 

(b)  Write  the  answer  to  this  inquiry.  Explain  that  you  have 
been  ill  at  home  and  without  access  to  a  machine,  but  add  a  promise 
that  you  will  do  the  work  over  again  in  proper  form. 

10  One  Hundred  Words  as  they  are  Generally  Misspelled. 


To  be  Correctly  Written 

concensus  calender  (time- chart)   privelege 


axel 

council  (advice) 

supercede 

complience 

indispensible 

one-fourth 

achievement 

prelimanary 

insolvancy 

comittee 

stationery  (fixed) 

accumalate 

lodgement 

stationary  (paper) 

pretencious 

resume  (a  summary) 

geer 

sieze 

untill 

continuence 

preceed 

tomorrow 

accessable 

consciencious 

suffise 

comission 

cigaret 

never  the  less 

fiancee 

principle  (chief) 

116 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


11 

tonight 

chattle 

responsable 

per  cent 

emigrate  (to  come  in) 

garantee 

customery 

quantity 

independant 

all  ways 

receive 

acceed 

counsel  (assembly) 

succede 

collosal 

imigrate  (to  go  out) 

today 

alledge 

buisness 

separator 

believe 

Tenessee 

allmost 

discription 

representative 

alright 

distruction 

extacy 

responce 

morgage 

for-gotten 

loose  (to  miss) 

mispell 

12 

fete 

superintendant 

franchize 

comparitive 

acknowledgment 

occurence 

Phillipines 

occuring 

seperate 

carefull 

fiance 

refered 

changeable 

naive 

elimanate 

debris 

skedule 

thouroughly 

judgement 

Messrs 

portentious 

precede 

employe 

two's 

dying  (to  color) 

monies 

abridgement 

over-look 

accomodate 

similiar 

to-gether 

canvas  (solicit) 

defanite 

principal  (rule) 

CHAPTER   IX 
ORDERING    GOODS— REMITTANCES 

THE  carelessly  written  letter  ordering  goods  is  a  source  of  great 
annoyance  to  business  men.  As  a,  rule,  orders  are  filled  according 
to  their  simplicity  and  clearness,  and  in  case  of  rush  or  of  delay 
the  illegibly  written  order  is  generally  left  to  the  last  moment — 
perhaps  until  the  next  day — or  not  filled  at  all.  In  some  houses  all 
orders  received  are  checked  against  the  clerks  who  receive  them  to 
fill,  thus  protecting  the  firm  against  indifferent  employees,  but  this 
is  not  the  rule  everywhere.  Careless  clerks  prefer  to  throw  away  a 
badly  written  letter  rather  than  be  put  to  the  trouble  of  deciphering 
it,  or  appealing  to  the  head  of  the  department,  or  having  to 
look  up  the  omitted  information.  Thus  the  poorly  written  order 
gets  its  due.  It  is  a  common  supposition  that  all  orders,  important 
or  trivial,  are  attended  to  with  equal  care  ;  but  it  stands  to  reason 
that  an  overburdened  clerk  will  not  give  himself  extra  labor  to  fill 
an  insignificant  or  badly  written  order  while  having  many  others 
to  put  up  within  a  limited  time. 

It  is  the  business  of  the  person  who  orders  to  give  all  details, 
minutely  to  describe  by  size,  shape,  weight,  color,  price,  number  of 
catalogue  or  price-list  in  which  contained,  etc.,  the  omission  of  any 
one  of  which  items  might  cause  delay  and  confusion.  Especially  is 
this  true  of  articles  of  a  variety  of  styles,  differing  perhaps  only  in 
color  or  number.  An  order  for  goods  should  be  so  plain  that  the 
laziest  clerk  will  have  no  trouble  to  fill  it. 

A  second  order  for  articles  mentioned  in  a  previous  letter  should 
be  an  exact  reproduction  of  the  first,  as  it  is  likely  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  some  one  who  knows  nothing  of  the  first  order  and, 
knowing  nothing  of  it,  might  have  trouble  in  looking  up  the  original 
letter.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  advise  that  a  copy  be  made  of  every 
order  sent  out.  Use  figures  in  all  orders  for  the  sake  of  clearness. 

In  ordering  from  a  catalogue  care  should  be  taken  that  the 
number  be  given,  as  some  houses  issue  catalogues  every  month. 

Each  article  ordered  should  occupy  a  separate  line  in  the  center 
of  the  page,  the  name  of  each  article  beginning  with  a  capital,  as 

shown  on  the  following  page. 

117 


118  STYLE-BOOK    OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Illustrating  Letter  Ordering  Goods 

HANLEY   &    JAMESON 
IMPORTERS  AND  EXPORTERS 
3  Grand  Street 

New    York,  January  4,   1914. 
Messrs.  Thomas  &  Sons, 
44  Bond  Street, 
New  York. 
Gentlemen  : 

On  further  looking  over  your  catalogue  we  discover 
several  other  things  we  need.     In  Catalogue  6,  December,   1909,  we 
want 

No.   12       2  doz.  Hammers 
„       9       1  Ice-box 
„     16     40  Window  Screens 
and  in  Catalogue  10,  January,  1910 

No.  41       2  Copper  Boilers 
„     19     16  Carving  Sets 
„       7     14  Ibs.  Wire 

Be  sure  that  these  articles  are  especially  well  packed. 
A  previous  shipment  from  you  was  damaged  in  transit.     As  we 
are  in  immediate  need  of  these  articles  shipment  by  express  will 
greatly  oblige  us.     Charges  of  less  than  90c.  we  expect  you  to  pay. 
Yours  truly, 


1.  Note  that  the  whole  order,  though  cut  up  and  displayed  in  two  parts,  is 
unpunctuated.     Figures  are  used  for  brevity  and  distinctness. 

2.  Note  the  absence  of  commas  after  the  lines  in  the  center  of  the  page. 

3.  Remember  the  rule  :    A  displayed  line  requires  no  other  punctuation. 

4.  Note  that  the  words  that  indicate  the  quantity  or  number  of  the  articles 
of  the  order  are  not  capitalized. 

5.  In  writing  out  exercise  letters  be  remindful  of  the  spacing,  margins, 
display,   centering  of  letter  on  page,   punctuation,   capitalizing,   dividing  of 
words,  contractions,  etc. 

EXERCISE    i 

Have  pupils  write,  on  the  part  of  Messrs.  Barnard  &  Co.,  New  Yorkj 
a  letter  to  the  New  York  Hardware  Co.,  160  Broadway,  to  send  No.  41,  10  gross 
Canisters  ;  No.  3,  4  doz.  Enameled  Teapots  ;  No.  212,  6  doz.  sets  Steel 
Tableknives  ;  No.  1,  18  Brass  Kettles.  See  that  order  is  displayed  properly 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  119 


When  a  firm  delivers  an  order  for  goods  to  a  carrying  company 
delivery  to  the  customer  is  said  to  be  complete  ;  that  is,  the  express 
or  railroad  company  assumes  the  responsibility  of  delivering.  When 
the  purchaser  directs  that  the  goods  be  shipped  over  a  certain  line 
then  the  shipper's  responsibility  ceases  when  he  hands  them  to 
the  specified  carrying  company.  Should  the  shipper  disregard 
instructions  and  send  them  by  another  line,  then  delivery  is  not 
effected  until  the  goods  reach  the  buyer.  In  case  of  no  instructions 
from  the  purchaser  as  to  manner  of  delivery  the  responsibility  of 
the  seller  continues  until  the  goods  reach  the  buyer.  The  carrying 
company  is  always  responsible  for  delay  in  delivering  or  for 
damage  resulting  from  its  own  negligence. 

An  order  for  goods  should  be  acknowledged  on  the  day  received. 
When  shipped,  promptness  in  informing  the  buyer  that  his  goods 
are  on  the  way  enables  him  to  prepare  for  their  reception  and 
for  their  sale  and  delivery  to  customers.  It  also  enables  him  to 
hasten  an  investigation  in  case  of  delay  on  the  part  of  the  carrying 
company. 

The  acknowledgment  is  in  the  form  of  an  invoice,  or  a  printed 
form  on  a  postal  card,  or  a  personal  letter.  A  postal  card  is  more 
frequently  used  for  acknowledging  small  orders. 

Isaac  Pitman  &  Sons 
THE   PHONOGRAPHIC   DEPOT 
2  West  45th  Street,  New  York 

We  acknowledge  with  thanks  the  receipt  of  your  favor 
of  the enclosing 

We  are  shipping  the  goods  by Express 

and  trust  same  will  arrive  safely.      Thanking  you  for  the  order,  we  are 
Yours  very  truly, 

ISAAC  PITMAN   &  SONS. 

9— (400) 


120  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

An  order  for  goods  is  displayed  in  the  center  of  the  page  to  attract 
attention.  All  names  of  articles  for  sale  in  the  order  are  to  be 
capitalized.  But  note  that  only  the  articles  to  be  sold  or  bought 
are  to  be  capitalized,  and  not  such  words  as  pair,  dozen,  pounds, 
yards,  quarts,  feet,  etc.  The  object  is  to  render  the  words  of  greater 
significance  more  striking  to  the  eye.  Another  reason  for  centering 
is  to  enable  the  clerk  who  fills  the  order  to  see  it  clearly  and  to 
check  it,  and  the  shipping  clerk  to  countercheck  it.  This  might 
be  illustrated  by  citing  the  instance  of  a  letter  containing  two 
orders,  one  near  the  top  and  one  near  the  end  of  the  letter,  each 
a  short  order,  neither  of  which  is  displayed  or  capitalized^  A 
careless  clerk  might  see  only  one. 

In  connection  with  letters  ordering  goods  may  be  considered  the 
whole  subject  of  sectional  paragraphs  and  of  broken  sentences. 

The  Paragraph 

The  object  of  the  paragraph  is  to  separate  the  principal  items 
of  the  letter,  a  matter  of  considerable  importance  in  business 
letter-writing.  It  is  the  rule  in  some  offices  in  order  to  avoid  con- 
fusing different  affairs  that  a  letter  shall  treat  one  subject  only. 
When  a  letter  treats  more  than  one  subject  each  requires  a  par- 
agraph, there  being  in  the  letter  as  many  paragraphs  as  subjects. 
An  exception,  however,  is  made  of  the  letter  treating  a  single 
subject.  The  single-subject  letter  may  be  expanded  anywhere  and 
as  frequently  as  desired  for  purpose  of  display.  Should  one  subject 
of  the  letter  be  wheat-growing  and  the  following  thought  treat  of 
horses  a  new  paragraph  would,  of  course,  be  needed,  with  additional 
paragraphs  for  each  new  subject  added.  The  rule  seems  to  be,  in 
fact,  that  important  ideas  should  be  rendered  more  noticeable  and 
emphatic  by  being  paragraphed  separately.  The  object  of  this 
division  is  to  enable  the  reader  more  readily  to  assimilate  the  con- 
tents by  setting  aside  all  that  refers  to  each  topic  and  has  no  relation 
to  any  other  part  of  the  letter.  It  also  enables  the  reader  to  check 
the  more  important  parts  for  special  consideration.  A  subject 
should  not  be  subdivided  into  paragraphs  when  there  are  more  than 
one  subject  in  the  letter,  as  that  would  destroy  the  very  object  of 
paragraphing. 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  121 


Illustrating  the  Broken  Sentence 


MILLIARD    &    HELMS 
AGRICULTURAL  IMPLEMENTS,  ETC. 

98  Water  Street 

New    York,  March  3.    1914. 
Messrs.  Tone  &  Lowell, 
222  Charles  Street, 
New  Orleans. 

Gentlemen  : 

We  wish  to  thank  you  for  your  kind  attention  to  our 
last  order  just  received.     We  expected  you  would  have  some 
difficulty  in  filling  and  packing  it  according  to  our  directions,  but 
were  agreeably  surprised  to  find  everything  exactly  as  ordered.     It 
is  seldom  that  we  receive  such  attention,  as  our  orders  are  gener- 
ally for  such  a  mixture  of  all  kinds  of  goods  that  they  must 
severely  try  your  patience.     This  is  one  of  the  inconveniences  in 
running  a  general  store — one  needs  to  have  everything  under  the 
sun. 

On  further  looking  over  your  catalogue  we  discover 
several  other  things  we  need.     In  Catalogue  6,  December  6,  1907, 
we  want 

No.   14       3  doz.  Hinges 

6       1  Perfection  Heater, 
,,     14     30  pair  Acme  Skates 
and  in  Catalogue  9,  January  10,   1908 

No.  68     12  Drip  Teapots 
„     14       6  Drip  Coffee-pots, 
,,       8       4  Ibs.  Cinnamon 

Be  sure  that  these  articles  are  especially  well  packed 
in  straw  or  excelsior. 

Ship  by  fast  freight,  Northern  &  Southern  Railway. 

Enclosed  find  check  to  be  applied  to  this  account. 

Yours  truly, 

One  enclosure — check. 


The  border  lines  show  the  size  of  the  letter-head — 1 1  x  8|.  The  blank 
space  between  the  printing  and  the  border  is  the  width  of  margin  to  be 
left  when  writing  a  letter  with  a  pen.  In  handwriting  use  customary 
abbreviations  only. 

Do  not  fail  to  mention  the  enclosure  in  the  letter. 


122  STYLE-BOOK    OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Particular  attention  is  drawn  to  the  informal  paragraph  in  letters 
on  the  following  pages  where  the  sentence  is  broken  abruptly  in 
order  to  display  the  item  and  is  then  resumed  as  though  no 
interruption  were  made. 

Care  should  be  taken  that  the  punctuation  of  the  broken  sentence 
or  informal  paragraph  be  exactly  the  same  as  though  written 
unbroken.  Observe  on  the  previous  page  the  method  of  punctuating 
such  broken  sentence. 

Every  order  for  goods  should  be  paragraphed  and  placed  in 
the  center  of  the  line  in  order  to  enable  busy  or  careless  clerks 
easily  to  discover,  check,  and  countercheck.  Care  should  also  be 
taken  to  place  the  principal  items,  such  as  orders,  etc.,  near  the 
top  or  about  the  center  of  the  page.  If  placed  at  the  end  they  are 
likely  to  be  overlooked  by  lax  employees. 

Do  not  use  postscripts  or  nota  bene  paragraphs.  Leave  it  to  the 
intelligence  of  the  reader  to  discover  that  the  underscoring  of  words 
is  meant  to  call  special  attention. 

Remittances 

When  goods  are  being  ordered  or  after  they  have  arrived,  pay- 
ment must  often  be  made  by  means  of  the  United  States  mails. 
It  is  evident  that  to  send  currency  or  bills  inside  letters  is  a  very 
unsafe  method,  although  sometimes  employed  for  small  sums. 
The  various  means  of  sending  money  through  the  mails  may  be 
tabulated  as  follows  : 

1  Stamps 

2  Currency  and  banknotes 

3  United  States  money  orders 

4  Express  company  checks 

5  Documents  of  various  kinds  issued  by  banks 

Some  firms  accept  unused  stamps  to  a  considerable  amount, 
which  they  later  use  themselves  or  otherwise  dispose  of.  Little 
coin-cards  can  be  obtained,  into  which  the  smaller  pieces  of  money 
can  be  inserted.  These  cards  enable  one  to  send  small  sums  in 
fairly  convenient  fashion.  Bills,  of  course,  slip  easily  into  a  letter. 
There  are  two  principal  objections  to  all  of  these  forms  of  trans- 
mitting money.  The  first  is  that  the  stamps  or  money  may  be 
stolen  either  in  transmission  or  after  the  letters  have  been  opened. 
The  second  is  that  there  is  no  automatic  receipt  that  the  money  has 
been  received. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  123 


Illustrating  the  Bookkeeper's  Paragraph 

NEWELL,    HENDERSON    &    CO. 
COMMISSION  MERCHANTS 

^— -^. 

463  Flush  Avenue 

Brooklyn,  N.   Y..  December  16,   1913. 
Mr.  Wm.  C.  Tonlin, 
Trenton,  N.  J. 

Dear  Sir  : 

On  account  of  the  unfavorable  state  of  the  market  we 
have  not  been  able  to  dispose  of  your  shipments  as  early  as  you 
expected,  but  we  now  have  the  pleasure  of  enclosing  account  sales 
of  merchandise  shipped  via  Pennsylvania  Railroad  as  follows  : 

Nov.     6     110  bbls.  Cranberries  (Const.    1220) 
21       88      „  „  (      „       1272) 

Dec.    10     326  bxs.  „  (      „       1356) 

which  were  received  in  good  order  except  4  bxs.  in  the  last  ship- 
ment that  were  unsalable  ;  the  others  we  sold  at  the  highest 
market  prices  then  prevailing,  which  were 

Nov.  17  96  bbls.  Cranberries  at  $12.50  $1200 

23  54  „  „  „  13  702 

Dec.  12  48  „  „  „  12.75  612 

210  bxs.  „  „  3.40  714 

15  112  3.65  408.80 


Total  sales      . .          . .          $3636.80 

and  from  which  the  following  charges  have  been  deducted  : 
Freight  and  Drayage 
Cooperage 
Cash  advanced 
Commission  (5  %)  . . 

Total  charges     . .       1263.31 

The  net  proceeds         $2373.49 

have  been  placed  to  your  credit,  and  we  trust  we  shall  be  favored 
with  further  shipments  from  you  in  the  near  future. 
Yours  truly. 


124  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Neither  of  these  objections  applies  to  any  of  the  other  methods 
mentioned  for  transmitting  money.  A  postal  money  order,  a 
bank  check,  or  an  express  check  all  alike  can  be  drawn  in  such 
fashion  that  they  are  valueless  except  to  the  person  in  whose  name 
they  are  written,  and  that  by  accepting  them  he  automatically 
provides  a  receipt  for  the  drawer  of  the  check  or  order.  It  is 
consequently  advisable,  especially  when  sending  large  sums,  to 
use  only  the  methods  mentioned  above. 

A  word  may  be  added  as  to  the  attitude  of  the  man  or  the  firm 
receiving  the  remittance  when  this  remittance  takes  the  form  of  a 
check. 

Any  firm  will  accept  at  face  value  a  bank  document  like  a  check 
provided  it  comes  from  a  person  whose  credit  with  it  is  good. 
But  a  new  customer  or  a  customer  in  poor  financial  standing  must 
in  some  way  indicate  that  he  has  sufficient  funds  at  the  bank  to 
pay  the  amount  of  the  check  he  has  drawn.  Frequently,  therefore, 
it  is  necessary  to  write  the  check  in  such  form  that  it  is  certain  the 
drawer  has  these  sufficient  funds.  This  is  done  in  various  ways, 
such  as  a  certified  check,  cashier's  check,  certificate  of  deposit, 
etc.  Illustrations  of  a  number  of  these  forms  will  be  found  in  the 
Appendix,  which  the  student  should  consult. 

Test-Letter  i 

(To  be  vewvitten) 

25  South  st.,  Chicago,  October,  12,  1908. 
Mr.  T.  Coulan  &  Sons', 

Boston,  Massachusettes, 
Dear  Gentlemen  ; 

We  beg  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  esteemed 
favor  of  the  24  of  the  present  month  and  shall  you  have  the  kindness 
to  send  me  four  barrels  royal  varnish  No.  1  and  3  dozen  bristle 
brushes  No.  6  and  at  the  same  time  put  in  a  couple  of  doz.  quarts  of 
glossy  black  paint,  and  I  forgot  also  to  say  to  put  in  a  few,  say, 
10  dozen  superior  Hair  brushes,  number  6.     Have  them  here  by 
Nov.  the  ninth.     Very  sincerely  your  friend,  I  remain 

Yours, 

Review  Questions  for  Chapter  IX 

1  What  is  meant  by  simplicity  and  clearness  ? 

2  How  may  a  badly  written  letter  be  treated  ? 

3  Describe  five  essential  points  in  writing  an  order. 

4  How  should  the  description  in  a  duplicate  order  compare 
with  the  original  ? 

5  Why  are  figures  used  ? 

6  What  is  the  object  of  capitalizing  certain  words  in  an  order  ? 


STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  125 


Test-Letter    2 

JENNINGS    &    WOOLMAN 

IMPORTERS  AND  MANUFACTURERS  OF  MILLINERY 

80  Fifth  Avenue 

New    York,  August  7,   1913. 

Mrs.   van  Camp  &   Hessell, 

41  W.  Twentieth  Street, 

Phila.,   Pensylvania. 

Dear  Gentleladies  : — Your  inquiries  and  those  of  Miss  Thorne 
and  Sember  with  order  of  August  5  were  so  badly  written  that  we 
could  hardly  make  them  out.     We  interpret  the  writing  to  read 
one  dozen  wire  forms,  size  four,  4  yds.  best  quality  ribbon  No.  2, 
twenty-four  yards  Royal  silk  trimming,   2  doz.  gold  Finish 
buckles  and  9  bunches  artificial  flowers  No.  9.     We  shall  send  this 
order  this  a.  m.  at  9  o'clock.     Part  of  these  are  of  english  make 
and  part  come  from  the  north,  but  all  are  equal  to  Domestic 
manufacture.     Don't  forget  that  you  have  to  pay  cash  for  these 
goods  as  we  are  not  aware  that  your  credit  is  worth  anything, 
and  this  is  your  first  order. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 


Rewrite  this  letter  correctly.       While  rewriting  be  careful  to  eliminate  the 
impolitej:one. 


Exercise  2 

Put  yourself  in  the  place  of  the  above-mentioned  ladies  and  reply  to  this 
letter.  Remember  that  you  owe  them  an  apology  for  giving  them  trouble  in 
sending  an  order  so  badly  written  that  even  experienced  salesmen  could  not 
read .  You  can  hardly  blame  them  for  not  giving  you  credit  as  you  neglected 
to  mention  references.  Rewrite  your  order  in  proper  form.  Resent  or  not, 
as  you  think  best  for  your  interest  their  slurring  remark  about  your  credit. 
Would  it  be  wise  merely  to  hint  that  such  language  from  gentlemen  to 
ladies  is  hardly  proper  ? 


126  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Test-Letter   3 

Rewrite  correctly  on  Full-sized  Sheet,  with  Business-letter 

Diagram.    Omit  heading.    Must  find  twenty  errors 

to  obtain  Grade  A 

CARHARDT,    CARROLL   &   CO. 

DRY-GOODS,  GROCERIES,  HARDWARE,  MEDICINES,  ETC. 

Locustville,  111. 

June  26th,  1913. 

Mess.  Towne  and  Company,  Esqr. 
-f-j:    65  Bath  street,  Chicago 
111. 

Gentlemen  : 

In  response  to  yours  of  the  fourth  instant  we  sent 
you  $5.00,  25  cents  of  this  was  for  express  on  1  and  one  fourth 
Ib.  of  axle  grease.     10  per  cent,  discount  on  number  2  we  thought 
too  little.     We  can  do  better  with  Messrs.  Taylor  &  Co.  of  Bond 
St.     Kindly  send  us  14  quarts  of  gem  Polish  paint,  2  doz. 
Butchers'  saws  num.  6,  sixteen  watches  (Eureka)  and  9  pairs 
Children's  boots  No.  three.     Kindly  send  the  articles  in  the  a.m. 
instead  of  as  last  Winter  in  the  afternoon.     P.S.     Also  send  eight 
dozen  misses'  calico  Frocks  number  six. 

Very  Sincerely  yours, 
MR.    CARHARDT,    CARROLL  &  Co 
Per  James  Siegel. 


NOTE.     "  Per  "  or  "  by  "  are  not  necessary  before  the  signature.     In  any 
case  "by,"  being  English,  is  preferable  to  "per,"  Latin. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH  127 


7  Which  are  to  be  capitalized  and  which  not  ? 

8  Why  does  a  line  displayed  generally  need  no  punctuation 
points  ? 

9  When  may  a  sentence  break  abruptly  and  then  resume  its 
proper  form  and  place  without  using  points  of  punctuation  ? 

10  Why  should  a  letter  ordering  goods  be  promptly  acknow- 
ledged ? 

1 1  Why  should  a  customer  be  promptly  informed  that  his  goods 
have  been  sent  ? 

12  May  a  printed  postal  card  be  used  for  this  purpose  ? 

13  Why  should  there  ever  be  more  than  one  paragraph  ? 

14  In  what  way  is  it  beneficial  to  the  receiver  to  find  a  different 
paragraph  for  each  subject  ? 

15  What  is  the  writer's,  or  printer's,  object  in  cutting  up  a 
single  subject  into  several  paragraphs  ? 

16  Why  is  a  filed- away  letter  on  one  subject  only  more  easily 
referred  to  than  one  having  two  subjects  ? 

,  17     What  is  meant  by  an  informal  paragraph  ? 

18  Where  in  a  column  of  prices  is  the  dollar  sign  used  ? 

19  Why  in  tabulating  a  column  of  figures  of  different  amounts 
should  care  be  taken  to  see  that  the  right-hand  figure  of  each 
be  written  exactly  under  the  one  preceding  ? 

20  Why  should  figures  be  used  in  describing  an  order  ? 

21  Why  are  numbers  referring  to  dates,  time  of  day,  quantities, 
orders,  rates,  and  prices  generally  put  in  figures  ? 

22  Which  of  the  following  forms  is  correct  ? 

Number  1  Nos.  4  and  six 

No.  two  No.  1 

23  What  are  the  five  general  methods  of  remitting  money  ? 

24  Why  should  currency  not  be  sent  in  a  letter  ? 

25  What  means  are  there  of  assuring  a  person  that  your  check 
is  "  £ood  "  ? 


Exercises 

1  (a)  Order  the  following  articles  from  some  merchant  in  your 
neighborhood  :  2  sweaters,  size  34  and  36,  price  $4.00  each  ;  a 
pair  of  gymnasium  shoes,  price  $1.00,  size  7  ;  a  tennis  racket, 
price  $4.50  ;  and  a  camera,  price  $7.00.  Enclose  a  remittance. 

(b)  Acknowledge  receipt  of  the  above  letter,  state  you  are 
forwarding  goods,  except  camera,  which  will  be  sent  in  a  week. 

4  (a)  As  a  grocer,  Samuel  Loke,  in  Reading,  Pa.  order  two 
barrels  of  mackerel,  at  $6.00  a  barrel  from  R.  B.  Burns,  Philadelphia. 

(b)  Write  a  reply  to  this  order  stating  your  regret  that  you  cannot 


128  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


fill  this  order  for  less  than  $6.50  a  barrel  f.  o.  b.  Philadelphia. 
Add  a  request  to  be  notified  if  Mr.  Loke  still  wishes  the  order  to  be 
filled. 

3  Write  a  letter  to  a  customer  of  the  firm  of  Wm.  Edge  &  Co., 
Dealers  in  Hardware,  West  Hoboken,  N.  J.,  stating  that  you  have 
attempted  in  vain  to  find  the  Unique  Glass  Jars.     Inquire  whether 
Victor  Jars  will  do  instead.     Mention  the  fact  that  you  are  also 
forwarding  a  catalogue  concerning  all  the  goods  you  sell. 

4  (a)  Order  six  pairs  of  Holeless  Socks  from  a  men's  furnisher 
in  your  town.     Enclose  remittance. 

(b)  Write  his  reply  that  he  will  fill  your  order  in  three  days. 
Explain  the  delay.  Add  an  account  of  other  goods  he  has  on  sale 
that  he  is  sure  you  will  like.  Have  him  ask  you  to  call  personally. 

5  As  business  manager  of  your  school  paper,  send  an  order 
to  your  printer  for  1000  copies  of  your  next  issue,  32  pages,  six 
pages  advertising,  one  page  table  of  contents,  two  pages  of  illustra- 
tions, three  pages  10-point  matter,  twenty  pages  eight-point  matter, 
cover  of  usual  stock.     Mention  date  on  which  paper  is  to  be  issued. 

6  Write  to  the  same  printer  asking  him  to  prepare  for  you 
500  sheets  of  private  stationery,  headed  with  your  name  and  your 
new  address,  of  the  same  stock  and  at  the  same  price  as  your  last 
order.     State  that  you  want  envelopes  to  match.     Enclose  check. 

7  Order  the  following  books  from  a  local  book-dealer  :  Webster's 
"  Secondary  School  Dictionary,"  $1.25  ;  Bulfinch's  "  Age  of  Fable," 
Pocket   Edition,    $.35  ;     Longfellow's   "  Poems,"   School   Edition, 
$2.00 ;     Shakspere's   "  Hamlet,"    School   Edition,    $.25.     Enclose 
remittance.     Ask  the  dealer  to  send  you  a  catalogue  of  recently 
issued  fiction.     Inquire  whether  he  keeps  calendars   and  diaries 
on  hand.     Ask  the  price  of  a  road-map  of  the  state  in  which  you 
live.     Inquire  whether  he  gives  a  discount  for  large  orders.     (Be 
sure  to  paragraph  properly.) 

8  As   Vincent   Blair,    10   Ironside   Street,    Billings,    Montana, 
write  to  your  friend,  Algar  Thomson,  staying  at  the  Continental 
Hotel,    New   York,    asking   him   to   purchase   some   good    repro- 
ductions of  famous  paintings  for  you.     Enclose  a  draft  for  ten 
dollars.     Then  write  Mr.  Thomson  some  news  of  Billings.     Make 
your  letter  a  combination  of   a  business  letter  and  a  letter  to  an 
intimate  friend. 


CHAPTER  X 

LETTERS    OF    COMPLAINT 

IT  is  hardly  astonishing  that  in  a  civilization  so  complicated  as 
that  of  the  present  day  there  should  arise  a  certain  amount 
of  friction  in  the  transaction  of  business.  Often  the  cause  of  the 
friction  is  beyond  the  individual's  control.  It  may  lie  in  the 
failure  of  the  mails,  of  the  express  companies,  of  the  railroads. 
It  may  be  due  to  a  catastrophe  of  nature — a  fire,  an  earthquake, 
or  a  flood.  Or  it  may  result  simply  from  the  various  imperfections 
inherent  in  human  nature.  On  the  other  hand,  the  friction  is 
sometimes  of  a  character  that  is  easily  avoidable,  and  as  such 
the  individual  must  suffer  the  blame.  Thus  it  may  arise  from  the 
negligence  of  an  incompetent  or  careless  employee,  or  it  may  be 
connected  with  some  peculiarity  of  an  office  system  or  from  the 
failure  of  an  organization  to  work  efficiently. 

From  all  of  these  causes  arise  innumerable  letters  of  complaint 
and  replies  to  them.  The  writer  of  a  letter  of  complaint  should 
write  in  a  moderate  tone.  Let  him  wait  for  an  explanation  before 
he  decides  to  get  angry.  In  many  cases  it  will  be  found  that  the 
complaint  has  no  just  foundation.  Even  where  someone  is  to 
blame,  it  is  better  to  ask  for  adjustment  in  a  courteous  tone  than 
to  foam  at  the  mouth — and  perhaps  get  nothing.  The  reply  to  a 
letter  of  complaint  should  follow  similar  rules.  Even  if  the  letter 
to  which  an  answer  is  being  written  is  couched  in  tones  of  anger 
and  perhaps  contempt,  it  is  best  to  reply  smoothly  and  politely. 
If  you  have  been  at  fault,  if  the  complaint  is  just,  acknowledge  that 
freely  ;  and  then  make  immediate  amends. 


Politeness  in  Letters 

Politeness  in  business  is  necessary  on  the  theory  that  we  cannot 
afford  to  offend  those  we  wish  to  persuade  ;  and  therefore,  being 
necessary,  its  omission  is  impolitic.  Those  who  have  special 
titles — doctors,  lawyers,  clergymen,  public  officers,  etc. — are  usually 
exacting  and  should  be  addressed  in  the  proper  manner.  They 
justly  attribute  the  error  in  doing  otherwise  to  carelessness  or  lack 
of  consideration.  Affected  politeness  by  using  inappropriate  titles 
and  salutations  should  be  avoided,  as  it  betrays  an  attempt  to 
flatter  ;  and  an  attempt  to  flatter  strangers  in  business  is  seldom 

129 


130  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


successful.  Effusive  salutations  and  improper  titles  are  limited 
to  promoters  of  get-rich-quick  schemes,  to  patent-medicine  sellers, 
to  bucket-shop  people,  etc.  These  people  usually  address  strangers 
as  "  Dear  Friend."  There  is  also  a  tendency  to  neglect  to  write 
formal  titles,  salutations,  and  complimentary  closes,  but  it  cannot 
be  too  strongly  condemned.  The  elimination  of  polite  forms  is 
permissible  among  employees  in  the  same  office,  but  it  should 
not  be  practised  elsewhere.  Always  apologize  for  errors  of  com- 
position or  of  haste,  and  offer  the  excuse  as  early  as  possible  in  the 
letter,  not  leaving  it  to  be  added  in  a  postscript. 

Titles  and  corresponding  salutations  not  frequently  used  in 
business  correspondence  should  be  typewritten,  pasted  on  a  card 
and  kept  convenient  for  reference.  Such  unusual  titles  and  saluta- 
tions are  :  to  the  President,  cabinet  officers,  governors,  members 
of  legislatures,  to  the  judiciary,  to  the  Catholic  and  other  clergy, 
to  the  brotherhoods  and  sisterhoods,  etc. 

Another  form  of  impoliteness  is  the  habit  of  leaving  out  pronouns 
and  the  using  of  unnecessary  abbreviations.  The  reader  is  likely 
to  receive  the  impression  that  scant  courtesy  is  shown  him,  and 
that  it  is  a  waste  of  time  in  his  case  to  use  conventional  forms. 

Telegraphic  brevity  is  not  permissible  in  business-letter  writing. 
The  result  of  an  advertisement  for  a  stenographer  and  correspondent 
in  the  New  York  Herald  showed  ninety  per  cent,  rejected  on 
account  of  mistaken  ideas  of  brevity. 

The  following  letter  was  sent  by  the  president  of  one  of  the 
largest  insurance  companies  in  the  world  to  all  its  important 
employees  : 


Courtesy  Sign.  September  12,   1913. 

To     (Superintendents,    Agency    Organizers,    Detached    Assistants. 
Managers). 

We  shall  send  in  your  next  express  package  a  COURTESY 
SIGN  which  we  desire  hung  in  your  office  so  as  to  be  readily  observed 
by  all  who  enter  in  connection  with  the  Company's  business. 

The  sign  is  neatly  framed  and  equipped  with  wire  for  the 
purpose  of  hanging. 

In   offices   having   Cashier's   quarters   with   a   grill  we  wish 
the  sign  placed  immediately  above  the  window,  or  at  the  side  of  the 
opening. 

In  case  this  is  impracticable  on  account  of  the  space, 
we  will  leave  the  matter  of  location  to  your  judgment,  with  the 
understanding  you  will  hang  the  sign  where  it  will  be  seen  to  the 
best  advantage 

We  believe  you  will  appreciate  the  emphasis  such  a  notice 
will  place  upon  your  own  and  the  Company's  desire  that  PROMPT 
AND  COURTEOUS  treatment  shall  be  accorded  to  all. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  131 


Test-Letter  i 

Correctly  rewrite,  making  Diagram  of  Letter-Head  size,  and 
Envelope.    Must  find  fifteen  errors  for  Grade  A 

New    York,   N.    Y.,  July  1st,   1913. 

498  Broadway. 
Mess.  Thomlan  &  Carr, 

621  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

Gents.  : 

The  millenery  firm  of  Madams  Thor  &  Yates  blames  us  for 
the  delay  on  your  order.     The  articles  we  ordered  on  June  4th  have 
not  yet  come.       We  therefor  send  duplicate  in  case  the  order  has 
been  lost  :    twelve  doz.  spools  black   Thread  No.  36,  124  yards  of 
O.  L.  Black  ribbon,  and  20  gross  cloth  Buttons,  No.  six.     We  have 
just  heard  from  Messrs.  The  American  Cotton  Co  and  they  promise 
to  deliver  all  orders  before  the  10  of  the  month  that  are  received  by 
the  fifth. 

Very  Sincerely  yours, 


MR.    THOMLON    AND    CARR, 

#  620  Broadway,  N.  Y., 

New  York. 


C/o.  Thomlon  &  Car. 


This  superscription  contains  nine  errors. 


132  STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Test-Letter  2 

Rewrite  correctly  on  full-sized  Sheet,  with  Business-letter 
Diagram.    Must  find  twenty  errors  for  Grade  A 

ANDERSON,    BROWNE    &   COMPANY 

IRON  IMPORTERS 

Broadway  and  One  Hundredth  St. 
Phone  28s.  N.    Y.  New    York,  March  14th,  1913. 

Re  Iron  Shipment 
messieurs  Brattle  &c., 
Brooklyn, 
N.  Y. 

Dear  sirs  : — We  received  your  phone  message  on  Change  here  to-day 
at  10  a.m.     Mr.  Brown,  Esq.,  the  contractor,  as  mentioned  in  letter 
of  the  10th.  prox.,  cannot  supply  the  material  on  time,  that  is,  as 
his  Co.  promised.     Our  expectation  was  to  receive  it  in  the  ultimo 
month,  and  not  have  to  wait  until  proximo.     As  this  instant  is  only 
half  over  it  may  yet  come  before  the  end.     If  you  notice  in  the 
paper  of  a  ship  arriving  at  pier  41,  north  River,  you  will  know  it  is 
the  iron,  and  you  may  call  for  it  at  1800  Broadway,  N.  Y.  city. 
Ask  for  lengths  4x9  and  4"  x    9'  only. 

Yours  very  Sincerely, 

ANDERSON  &  Co. 


The  corrected  form  of  this  letter  will  be  judged  by  neatness  in  penmanship, 
and  by  proper  display  of  its  parts  according  to  business-letter  form  and 
according  to  style. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  133 


Test-Letter  3 

Rewrite    correctly,    using    two    or    more    sheets. 
Must  find  twenty-five  errors  in  each 
paragraph  to  obtain  Grade  A 

Brooklyn,  N.    Y.  Oct.  20th.,   1913 

Jones  and  Smith. 
New  York. 

Gentlemen, — 

The  goods  refered  to  arrived  according  to  letters  of 
the  21st.  and  25th.  insts.  and  were  alright.     They  will  not  be 
superceded  by  others  as  we  want  no  aditional  expence  incured.     It 
appears,  however,  that  in  the  package  that  called  for  ladie's  and 
miss'es  articles  their  was  some  parts  missing.     Those  marked  b. 
were  really  c.     While  the  three  errors  may  be  over-looked  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  -that  either  of  them  might  have  done  harm.     Of 
course,  every  one  cannot  be  expected  to  be  perfect  in  their  work, 
but  you  knew  that  our  order  was  to  be  delivered  today  and  you 
should  have  reviewed  your  three  employes  work. 

Objections  were  made  by  phone  not  only  to  the  goods 
but  to  the  manufacturers  their  agents,  my  representitive  and  also 
even  I.     All  this  to-gether  is  disagreable.     Can  you  furnish  us  with 
a  good  up  to  date  separeter  and  deliver  in  3  weeks  time.     What 
percent  do  you  allow  for  cash.     Can  we  depend  on  you  shipping 
these  goods  comparitively  soon  or  by  a  next  week  boat.     6  days 
delivery  will  suffise.     We  shall  send  checque  for    $20.  in  payment 
of  last  weeks'  bill.     We  hope  to  be  able  to  fully  please  you  in  future 
by  paying  promptly-e.g.  all  monies  exactly  when  due.     ^f  Thanking 
you,   &c.,  We  remain 

Yours  Truly, 


134  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Test-Letter  4 

Rewrite  this  letter.     Student  must  find  twenty 
errors  to  obtain  Grade  A 

PETERSON,    ALDRICH  &    CO. 
FINE  FURNITURE,  CARPETS,  OILCLOTHS,  ETC. 
89  Twenty-third  Street 

New    York,  April  6,   1913. 
Telephone  345K 

Messrs.  Goodwin   &  Co., 
742  Fifth  Avenue, 

New  York. 
Gentlemen  : 

We  did  not  answer  yours  of  the  20  prox.  on  account  of 
doubt.     Anyone  would  complain  of  such  treatment.     We  ordered 
a  chair,  which  we  needed  bad,  but  it  was  the  poorest  kind  of  a  chair 
that  you  sent.     Both  of  the  arms  fell  out,  and  everyone  that  saw 
it  said  they  wouldn't  have  it.     When  a  person  says  that  &  knows 
what  they  say  we  can't  sell.     We  tried  to  mend  it,  but  couldn't 
make  either  of  the  several  pieces  stick.     We  say  farther  that  unless 
you  change  this  for  an  other  we  shall  trade  elsewhere,  though  the 
goods  may  come  further  by  rail,  neither  of  which  two  facts  do  we 
care  about  so  we  get  good  articles.     Other  defects  :    firstly,  the  back 
was  too  straight ;    and  secondly,  the  stain  was  the  yellowest  of 
yellow.     Our  customers  got  mad  and  past  it  by  quickly.     If  we 
keep  it  longer  we  too  shall  soon  be  a  firm    of  the  passed.     We  have 
had  the  chair  now  quite  some  time — over  ten  days — and  no  sale. 

Yours  truly, 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  135 


Review  Questions  for  Chapter  X 

1  Did  you  learn  in  former  questions  that  an  appeal,  artistic 
to  the  eye,  is  more  effective  than  when  presented  in  a  slovenly, 
jumbled-together  manner  ? 

2  Similarly,    is   politeness   more   persuasive   than   rudeness  ? 

3  What  classes  of  people  are  especially  annoyed  at  the  omission 
of  forms  of  courtesy  ? 

4  Why  should  you  be  suspicious  of  a  letter  from  a  stranger 
containing  affectionate  terms  ? 

5  When  are  polite  forms  properly  omitted  ? 

6  Mention    a   particularly   bad   form,   likely   to    make   your 
correspondent  think  your  time  is  being  wasted  on  him. 

7  How  does  a  business  man  regard  an  application  letter  that 
fails  to  give  the  necessary  particulars  ? 

8  May  "  25th,"  "  21st,"  etc.,  be  written  with  period,  as  "  25th." 
"  21st."  etc.  ? 

9  Do  "  inst.,"  "  ult.,"  and  "  prox."  have  plural  forms  ? 

.10    Where  is  the  error  in  "  letters  of  the  21st  and  25th  insts.," 
as  used  on  page  133  ? 

1 1  May  "  Messieurs  "  ever  be  abbreviated  to  "  Mess."  instead  of 
"  Messrs."  ? 

12  What  causes  friction  in  the  transaction  of  business  ?     Should 
you  ever  apologize  or  make  amends  ? 


Exercises 

1  Write  to  Messrs.  Browning,  Strong  &  Co.,  Cooper  Square, 
New  York,  that  on  the  12th  of  May  you  sent  an  order  to  be  filled 
not  later  than  the  15th  of  May.     Say  that  the  15th  of  the  month 
has  now  come  and  the  goods  have  not  yet  arrived.     Mention  that 
this  delay  has  compelled  you  to  disappoint  your  customers.     Ask 
why  they  did  not  write  earlier  so  that  you  could  have  advised  your 
customers   accordingly.       Tell   them   that   unless   the   goods   are 
delivered  by  the  16th  of  May  you  will  cancel  the  order.     Use  no 
impolite  expressions  in  stating  your  complaint. 

2  Suppose  that  you  are  in  a  business  where  the  use  of  a  ready- 
reference  book  of  mixed  information  is  needed.     You  have  purchased 
such   book    from    a   publisher   upon    his   recommendation.     You 
find,  however,  that  it  is  a  fraudulent  revision  of  an  older  one, 
some  parts  having  been  revised  and  others  not.     Life  insurance 
statistics,  for  instance,  are  out  of  date  and  history  twenty  years 
behind.     Mention   other  subjects  which,   not  being  up  to   date, 
would  be  likely  to  displease  a  man  in  the  banking  business.     Write 

io— (400) 


136  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


this  letter  of  dissatisfaction,  fully  expressing  your  complaint,  and 
demand  the  return  of  your  money.     Do  not  fail  to  be  courteous. 

3  Write   a  letter   from   the   Captain  of  the  Brooklyn  Navy- 
Yard,  H.  S.  Rite,  to  the  Commandant,  telling  him  that  contractors 
delivering  goods  to  vessels  often  surfer  considerable  delay  in  having 
the  receipt-stubs  signed,  because  the  officer  of  the  deck  has  refused  to 
handle  them,  but  has  sent  instead  for  a  leading  man  in  charge  of 
yard  work.     Recommend  that  the  officer  of  the  deck  sign  hereafter. 

4  As   Auditor   of   the   Middletown  Trolley  Co.,  Middletown, 
Delaware,   write  to  the  General   Supply   Co.,   Easton,   Pa.,   that 
their  last  delivery  showed  a  shortage  in  electrical  supplies  to  the 
amount  of   $92.60.     Ask  that  your  account  receive  credit  to  this 
amount. 

5  As  Geo.   Blau  &  Co.,  Clock  Manufacturers,   15  Wellington 
Street,   West,   Toronto,   Canada,   write  to  Mr.   Edward  Florence, 
1614    Broadway,    New    York,    that    you    are    enclosing    in    your 
letter  a  credit-slip  for    $5.15,   in  connection  with  the  Clock  Set 
returned  to  you  and  mentioned  in  Mr.  Florence's  favor  of  the  14th 
instant.     Thank  Mr.  Florence  for  his  assistance  in  adjusting  this 
matter. 

6  As  Thos.  F.  Butler  of  the  Chicago  Elevated  R.  R.  Co.  write 
a  letter  to  the  Construction  Department  of  the  American  Escalator 
Company,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  stating  that  you  have  had  considerable 
trouble  with  the  type  of  escalator  at  Park  Street.     Complain  that 
the  grease  works  out  of  the  handrail  chain  and  soils  the  clothes  of 
people  who  ride  on  the  escalator.     Also  note  that  twice  the  escalator 
has  refused   to   work    at    all,  and    then    started    again    without 
apparent  cause. 

7  Write  a  letter  from  Stuart  Brothers,  owners  of  a  large  depart- 
ment store  in  San  Francisco,  to  one  of  their  customers — Stephen 
Willard,  281  Camden  Street.     Note  that  in  going  over  your  records, 
you  find  that  his  account  for  some  time  past  has  been  inactive. 
Inquire  whether  his  failure  to  purchase  any  more  goods  from  you 
is  due  to  any  fault  in  your  service  or  goods.     If  so,  state  that  you 
will  appreciate  it  highly  if  Mr.   Willard  will  furnish  particulars. 
Conclude  with  the  remark  that  you  are  always  grateful  to  your 
friends  for  bringing  to  your  attention  any  causes  for  complaint, 
or  any  suggestion  for  the  betterment  of  your  service. 

Write  a  series  of  letters  on  the  following  situation  : 

8  The  Business  Manager  of  your  school  paper  is  very  much 
dissatisfied  with  the  "  make-up  "  of  the  last  issue.     He  writes  a 
letter  to  the  printer  calling  attention  to  the  following  points  : 
no  proof  sent  up,   a  number  of  advertisements   (mention  them) 
misprinted  so  badly  that  the  advertisers  refuse  to  pay,  numerous 
typographical  errors  in  the  body  of  the  paper,  45  copies  missing 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  137 


in  supply  sent  up,  bill  too  large  (give  details),  some  of  the  copies 
badly  bound. 

9     The    printer    answers,    explaining   why  these  facts  are  so, 
but  offering  to  make  a  deduction  in  his  bill. 

10  You  accept  the  deduction,  but  notify  the  printer  that  a 
repetition  of  such  errors  will  mean  that  you  will  take  your  printing 
elsewhere. 


CHAPTER    XI 
LETTERS    TO    DEBTORS 

DEBTORS  may  be  divided  into  four  classes,  each  requiring  a  par- 
ticular style  of  composition  when  written  to  for  payment.  The 
FIRST  consist  of  manufacturers  and  wholesalers  who  sell  to  retailers 
upon  definite  terms  of  sale.  The  second  class  are  retailers'  customers 
of  good  credit  who,  through  negligence  or  other  cause,  fail  to  pay 
within  a  reasonable  time.  The  third  class  are  composed  of  those 
doing  business  in  a  small  way  without  special  credit-standing,  and 
those  dependent  on  salaries  only.  The  fourth  class  are  those  of  the 
other  three  who  from  motives  of  dishonesty  wish  to  avoid  paying. 

In  each  case  great  care  should  be  used  to  avoid  giving  offense, 
especially  to  the  second  class — usually  the  rich — who,  having  wealth, 
feel  that  they  have  been  overcharged,  and  are  therefore  in  no  haste 
to  pay.  Some  firms  allow  accounts  in  this  class  to  run  for  years, 
fearing  to  demand  payment  lest  offense  be  taken. 

Manufacturers  and  wholesalers  allow  credits  varying  from  ten 
to  ninety  days,  with  from  two  to  ten  per  cent,  discount  for  cash. 
The  terms  of  sale  are  printed  on  the  invoice  or  statement  and  are 
understood  before  opening  the  account.  Debtors  of  this  class, 
therefore,  understanding  definitely  the  terms,  are  generally  punctual 
in  payment,  otherwise  their  remissness,  becoming  known  to  credit 
agencies,  would  seriously  impair  their  standing.  Credit  is  a  firm's 
most  important  asset,  the  slightest  impairment  of  which  means 
great  loss.  To  such  debtors  it  is  customary  to  send  a  duplicate 
statement  or  a  form-letter  calling  attention  to  the  unpaid  account. 
Carelessness  or  some  unimportant  temporary  cause  may  be  the 
cause  of  non-payment,  in  which  case  a  duplicate  statement  only, 
or  the  usual  printed  monthly  form-letter,  is  sent  before  resorting  to 
the  personal  letter.  Sometimes  a  draft  is  drawn  on  the  debtor, 
which  he  is  obliged  to  accept,  or  by  dishonoring  it  make  known 
his  injured  credit. 

When  a  duplicate  statement  fails  to  bring  a  satisfactory  reply 
a  personal  letter  is  written  in  a  friendly  tone  requesting  an 
explanation.  If  an  unsatisfactory  response  be  received  the  nature 
of  the  second  letter  is  to  be  determined  by  the  probabilities  of 

138 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  139 


Illustrating  Request  for  Payment 

HOLBORN,    JENKINS  &    SMITH 
WHOLESALE  HARDWARE 
35  West  Street 

New    York,  February  6,   1914. 
Messrs.  Beaman  &  Co., 
60  Canal  Street, 
New  York. 
Gentlemen  : 

Permit  us  to  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  you 
have  neglected  to  pay  your  January  account.     We  regret  having 
to  remind  you  of  this,  but  having  received  no  explanation  from 
you  as  to  the  cause  of  the  delay,  and  having  heavy  obligations 
to  pay  during  the  coming  month,  we  should  be  greatly  pleased  to 
receive  a  remittance  from  you.     We  find  ourselves  obliged  largely 
to  increase  our  working  capital  on  account  of  the  increased  ad 
valorem  duties  of  the  new  tariff.     To  enable  us  to  meet  these  we 
are  obliged  to  request  our  customers  to  settle  at  once  all  overdue 
accounts. 

We  hope  that  our  pleasant  relations  will  in  no  way  be 
changed  by  this  request  for  settlement,  as  we  are  sure  that  you  will 
readily  understand  the  necessity  we  are  under  in  order  to  increase 
our  capital  sufficiently  to  meet  the  demands  of  changed  conditions. 

As  our  board  of  directors  has  recently  decided  that  all 
overdue  accounts   must  be  collected  as  soon  as  possible,  may  we  not 
receive   your  check  in  settlement  or  a  statement  of  your    financial 
position  ? 

Respectfully  yours, 


1.  Note  the  friendliness  of  the  language  toward  a  delinquent.     The  reason 
for  this  is  that,  not  knowing  the  cause  of  the  delay,  it  is  unwise  to  hint  that  the 
debtor  is  unable  or  unwilling  to  pay. 

2.  Note  the   request  for  a  statement  of   the   reason  for  the  delay.     This 
statement  will  supply  the  basis  for  the  second  letter,  or,  if  payment  be  not 
forthcoming,  for  one  more  direct  and  peremptory  in  tone. 

3.  Note  that  the  firm  gives  an  excellent  reason  for  pressing  the  payment. 
This  impresses  the  debtor  that  the  matter  is  serious,  that  he  has  not  been  singled 
out,  and  that  he  is  expected  to  do  his  utmost  to  oav. 


140  STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


securing  payment.  It  is  customary  to  assign  certain  reasons  for 
making  a  request  for  payment,  as  may  be  seen  on  the  previous  page. 

THE  SECOND  CLASS  of  debtors  are  those  who  enjoy  the  privilege 
of  an  open  account.  Such  customers  are  not  included  among  those 
who  understand  that  their  future  standing  will  depend  upon  prompt 
settlement  of  bills  at  specified  dates.  Special  discounts  for  cash 
within  a  certain  time  are  not  allowed  to  this  second  class,  as  many 
people  would  be  offended  if  informed  that  a  little  money  might  be 
saved  by  paying  promptly.  Each  customer  in  this  class  is  a  problem 
by  himself,  and  only  a  complete  knowledge  of  his  financial  affairs 
and  personal  characteristics  will  suffice  properly  to  compose  a  letter 
to  suit  his  case.  The  more  important  accounts  in  this  class  are 
invariably  handled  by  the  principals  of  the  firm.  The  methods  of 
collection  from  this  class  are  nowhere  uniform,  each  firm  having  a 
different  policy  according  to  the  nature  of  goods  sold,  the  customers' 
credit-standing,  and  social  status.  Most  people  deeply  resent  a 
dunning  letter,  no  matter  how  politely  written  or  how  urgent  the 
request  ;  and,  generally,  the  more  able  to  pay  the  less  the  willing- 
ness to  pay  promptly.  It  is  necessary,  however,  to  call  attention 
to  these  accounts  at  regular  periods. 

To  avoid  irritating  hypersensitive  customers  a  semi-personal 
letter  is  sent,  composed  somewhat  in  the  form  of  a  statement  of 
account  and  containing  a  request  for  payment.  This  printed 
letter,  apparently  emanating  from  the  bookkeeping  department, 
informs  the  debtor  of  his  indebtedness.  He  infers  from  its  form 
that  it  is  a  mere  bookkeeping  detail  that  is  sent  to  every  customer 
and  that  particular  reference  is  not  made  to  him.  To  arouse  the 
slightest  suspicion  against  one's  ability  or  willingness  to  pay  may 
cause  the  loss  of  a  valued  customer. 

The  extent  to  which  credit  may  be  given  to  this  class  is  to  be 
found  in  reference  books  periodically  issued  for  the  guidance  of  mer- 
chants. Buyers  are  classified  according  to  their  means  and  methods 
of  paying.  While  such  reference  books  may  be  useful  in  considering 
the  giving  of  credit,  they  should  not  be  considered  a  safe  guide  for 
correspondents  in  the  composition  of  dunning  letters.  The  able  corre- 
spondent gathers  and  records  such  information  from  every  possible 
source.  This  information  should  be  classified  in  budget  form  for 
reference  and  should  be  accessible  to  all  who  determine  credits. 


STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH  141 


The  letters  on  next  page  illustrate  the  foregoing  directions. 

THE  THIRD  CLASS  of  debtors — salaried  people  and  those  having 
small  businesses — are  generally  considered  to  be  of  small  credit 
value.  Perhaps  ten  per  cent,  of  them  never  pay,  the  loss  being  made 
up  by  the  higher  cost  of  goods  generally  imposed  on  all  customers 
of  this  class — particularly  by  firms  doing  an  exclusively  credit  or 
instalment  business.  When  collections  become  difficult  personal 
letters  should  be  sent  expressing  regret  on  account  of  inability  to 
pay  and  requesting  a  remittance  however  small.  Immediately 
after  such  letters  become  unproductive  the  account  should  be  closed. 
Generally  speaking,  the  longer  a  debt  stands  the  harder  it  is  to 
collect.  In  no  case  should  the  letter  be  threatening,  for  there 
is  always  a  chance  to  collect  through  persuasion  and  none  at  all 
by  threatening  those  who  are  unable  to  pay. 

THE  FOURTH  CLASS  of  debtors  are  those  who,  though  able,  wish 
to  avoid  payment  altogether.  They  probably  obtained  their  credit 
through  the  improper  rating  of  their  credit-standing  in  reference 
books  or  by  the  recommendation  of  those  enjoying  a  credit-account. 
The  result  of  a  series  of  polite  personal  letters  generally  reveals 
dishonest  intention,  and  when  payment  ceases  to  correspond  to 
promise  the  account  is  passed  into  the  column  of  the  undesired  to  be 
closed  at  once.  Benefit  of  doubt  should  be  freely  given  until  it 
becomes  evident  that  there  is  no  intention  to  pay.  Threats  to  sue 
should  not  be  used  until  other  methods  have  been  exhausted,  and 
then  only  when  it  is  known  that  the  debtor  has  an  attachable  income 
or  property.  Empty  threats  only  serve  to  bring  the  firm  into 
disrepute.  It  is  customary  to  advise,  however,  that  if  payment  be 
not  made  within  a  certain  time  the  account  will  be  placed  in  legal 
hands  for  collection.  If  this  is  not  effective  correspondence  should 
cease  and  the  account  be  sent  to  an  attorney. 

Wholesalers  and  manufacturers  deal  with  fraudulent  debtors 
through  the  means  of  an  association  formed  among  themselves. 
The  members  agree  that  no  one  shall  give  credit  to  a  customer 
against  whom  a  complaint  for  non-payment  has  been  made  by 
another  member.  The  necessity  for  correspondence  is  thus  limited 
to  sending  out  form-letters  informing  the  debtor  that  if  his  account 
is  not  paid  within  a  certain  time  his  credit  will  everywhere  cease. 


142  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Letter  to  Debtors,  No.   i 

(Second   Class— IMPROPER    FORM) 
JEAN   LA    FAROE    ET    FILS 

MODISTES 
Fifth  Avenue  and  Forty-Second  Street 

New    York,  April  2,   1913. 
Mrs.  F.  F.  Johnson, 

95  Madison  Avenue, 
New  York. 

Dear  Madam  : 

Your  account  shows  a  considerable  balance  against  you. 
We  seldom  allow  accounts  to  run  for  more  than  sixty  days,  and 
yours  has  exceeded  that  limit.     A  prompt  settlement  will  greatly 
oblige 

Yours  truly 

PROPER    FORM 
Dear  Madam  : 

In  looking  over  our  accounts  recently  we  have  been 
informed  by  our  clerks  that  your  account  has  been  increasing 
considerably  of  late  and  that  few  and  unimportant  payments  have 
been  made.     Statements  have  been  sent  regularly,  we  believe, 
which,  in  the  press  of  social  and  other  engagements,  have  probably 
been  overlooked.     We  have  always  highly  valued  your  patronage, 
and  greatly  desire  its  continuance,   and  are  pleased  to  think  that 
you  have  appreciated  our  efforts  to  serve  you. 

Hoping  that  by  return  mail  you  will  kindly  remit  us 
according  to  statement  enclosed,  we  are 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

One  enclosure — statement. 


1.  Enclosures  should  be  pinned  to  top  of  sheet  so  as  to  attract  attention 
at  once.     Always  mention  them  in  the  letter. 

2.  The    first    letter   errs   in    being    too    peremptory  and    in   lacking    the 
conventional  terms  of  politeness  suitable  to  one  of  good  credit-standing. 

3.  The  use  of  "seldom"  is  improper,  as  the  customer  may  justly  infer 
that  there  are  other  accounts  that  are  allowed  to  run  longer  than  hers. 

4.  In  the  second  letter  the  customer  is  pleased  with  the  consideration  she 
receives  in  the  manner  of  address  and  by  the  inference  that  the  neglect  to  pay 
may  have  been  caused  by   exacting   social  or  public  functions.     Effusiveness 
should    be   avoided   for  fear  of  conveying  a  sense  of   insincerity. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  143 


Letter  to  Debtors,  No.  2 

(Third  and  Fourth   Classes) 
WARREN,    FREMONT  &   HOLBORN 
WHOLESALE  GROCERS 
12  White  Street 

New    York,  June  10,   1913 
Messrs.  Keene  &  Co., 
200  Nassau  Street, 
New  York. 

Gentlemen  : 

We  are  not  quite  pleased  with  your  replies  to  our 
letters  of  the  1st,  3d,  and  7th  of  February  for  payment  of  your 
account.     Furthermore,  our  collectors  inform  us  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  obtain  a  satisfactory  statement  as  to  when  you  will  be 
able  to  pay.     Yoiir  references  spoke  highly  of  you  when  you 
applied  to  us  for  credit,  and  we  are  at  a  loss  to  understand  how 
they  have  erred  in  judgment. 

Can  you  not  send  us  a  remittance,  however  small,  as 
evidence  of  your  desire  to  meet  your  obligations  ?     If  not,  kindly 
send  us  a  statement  of  your  affairs,  and  if  it  is  possible  with  justice 
to  ourselves  we  may  extend  the  time  of  payment.     If  you  have  no 
other  means  at  hand  we  will  accept  your  note,  payable  in  the 
summer  or  early  fall,  in  settlement  of  the  account. 

Let  us  hear  from  you  within  the  present  week  and 
oblige 

Yours  truly, 

If  this  letter  produces  an  unsatisfactory  answer,  or  none  at  all,  the  following 
should  be  sent : 

Gentlemen  : 

Your   replies    of    February    2,    4,    and    8   to    our   recent 
letters  are  not  satisfactory.     Your  refusal  to  give  us  your  note 
clearly  shows  your  unwillingness  or  inability  to  pay.     If  we  do  not 
hear  favorably  from  you  by  10  a.  m.  next  Monday  we  shall  pass  your 
account  to  our  lawyers  for  collection. 

Yours  truiv 


144  STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Collection  of  Accounts 

A  good  maxim  in  correspondence  is  always  to  bear  in  mind  that 
every  word  written  may  at  some  future  time  be  produced  in  court 
as  testimony  in  a  suit.  For  this  reason  a  statement  in  figures 
should  not  be  made  in  the  letter  if  the  exact  sum  due  be  in  doubt, 
as  the  amount  a  creditor  is  able  to  collect  is  that  which  he  states 
in  his  correspondence,  unless  it  be  a  manifest  error,  though  his 
books  may  show  a  larger  amount.  Jurors  consider  a  man's  own 
estimate  in  figures  to  be  the  best  testimony  in  determining  a  verdict. 

The  law  protects  the  debtor  against  defamatory  language  in 
a  letter  requesting  payment,  though  strong  language  is  permissible, 
provided  there  by  no  publicity  tending  to  injure  his  commercial 
standing  or  character. 

It  is  proper  to  threaten  with  legal  proceedings  or  to  put  the 
matter  into  the  hands  of  a  collection  agency  provided  the  threat 
be  not  written  on  a  postal  card.  The  law  supposes  the  relation  of 
debtor  to  creditor  to  be  harmonious  until  suit  to  recover  is  brought 
into  court.  This  law  is  derived  from  the  theory  that  the  debtor's 
relation  to  the  creditor  is  strictly  of  private  nature,  to  be  made 
public  only  when  an  appeal  for  judgment  is  made  to  the  public — the 
court.  Thus,  an  effort  of  the  creditor  to  force  payment  by  giving 
undue  publicity  to  the  debtor's  bad  standing  is  punishable.  Such 
punishable  act  is  the  use  of  envelopes  setting  forth  in  large  print 
that  they  emanate  from  a  collection  agency. 

In  every  State  there  is  a  law  stating  that  unless  an  open  account 
be  collected  within  a  certain  number  of  years  no  further  legal  means 
may  be  invoked  to  secure  payment.  It  does  not  apply  to  accounts 
whose  payment  by  mutual  consent  may  extend  beyond  that  fixed 
by  the  statute  of  limitations.  In  the  Middle  States  this  period 
varies  from  three  to  six  years  ;  in  the  Southern  and  Western  States 
from  two  to  six  ;  in  the  New  England  States,  New  York,  New 
Jersey,  and  Pennsylvania  it  is  six  years.  The  period  of  collection  is 
reckoned  from  the  time  the  last  payment  was  made  on  the  account. 

The  use  and  the  abuse  of  the  postal  card  may  be  seen  on 
page  146,  where  the  first  informs  a  prying  postmaster — and, 
consequently,  the  whole  town — that  the  debtor's  standing  is  bad, 
while  the  second  is  considered  to  be  within  the  law. 


STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH 


145 


JAMES   M.    KENNEDY   &  SONS 

ATTORNEYS  AT  LAW 
300  Broadway 

New  York,  September  25,   1909. 


Dear  Sir  : 


I  hand  you  for  collection  claim  of 


against  No.  $ 

Kindly  take  it  up  at  once  and  give  it  vigorous  attention.  It  is 
important  that  acknowledgment  be  made  as  soon  as  possible  on  stub 
below,  giving  the  information  therein  requested  and  such  additional 

information  as  you  may  have. 

Yours  truly, 

JAMES  M.  KENNEDY  &  SONS. 


Rates  : 


Two-thirds  of  ten  per  cent. 

Minimum  fee,  two- thirds  of  two  dollars. 

If  suit  necessary,  larger  fee  will  be  allowed. 

If  unable  to  give  prompt  attention,  please  return  at  once. 


P.   S. 


No 

What  is  his  business  ? 


.vs. 


How  much  real  estate  ? 


What  is  his  present  address  ?  Can    claim    be    made    by    suit, 

attachment  or  garnishment  ? 


Value  of  his  personal  property  ? 


What  will  the  cost  amount  to  ? 


Remarks  :. 


146  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Illustrating  the  Abuse  and  Use  of  the  Postal  Card 

The  following  style  would  be  punishable  by  law 
SMITH,    INGALLS   &   CO. 
61  Park  Street 

Boston,  Mass.,  January  10,  1914. 
Mr.  L.  A.  Croton, 
Beverly,  Mass. 

Dear  Sir  : 

When  are  you  going  to  pay  the  next  instalment  on  youi 
household  goods  ?     You  are  not  keeping  up  to  the  terms  of  your 
contract.     Unless  back  payments  are  made  by  the  first  of  next 
month  we  shall  take  the  furniture  away. 

Yours, 

The  following  style  would  be  mailable  without  offending  the  law  : 

Dear  Sir  : 

Permit  us  to  call  attention  to  the  unsatisfactory  state  of 
your  account  and  to  the  fact  that  we  have  not  received  answers  to 
our  letters  written  you  on  the  subject.  Our  agent  will  call  on  you 
in  a  few  days  to  confer  with  you. 

Respectfully  yours,    . 


1.  Note  that  the  reference  in  the  first  card  to  the  purchase  of  household 
furniture  on  instalment  payments  and  the  threat  to  take  it  away  would,  upon 
being  known  to  the  public,  be  humiliating  to  the  debtor,  and  is,  therefore, 
unlawful. 

2.  Nearly  all  men  owe.     The  mere  statement,  therefore,  of  the  fact  of  the 
debt,    devoid    of    humiliating    details    or    of     aspersions    on     the    character 
of  the  debtor,  is  held  by  the  courts  to  be  proper. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH  147 


Review  Questions  for  Chapter  XI 

1  In  what  general  way  may  debtors  be  divided  into  classes  ? 

2  What  is  the  distinctive  feature  of  each  ? 

3  Which  class  must  one  be  especially  carefully  not  to  offend  ? 

4  Can  you  give  any  reason  why  rich  people  are  not  so  punctual 
in  payment  as  compared  with  others  ? 

5  Describe  fully  the  occasion  for  writing  four  different  letters 
to  a  slow-paying  rich  woman.     Show  how  these  letters  should  vary. 

6  Write  out  three  different,  truthful  reasons  justifying  your 
request  for  prompt  payment. 

7  To  what  extent  may  form-letters  be  used  ?     In  what  instance 
should  a  form-letter  become  semi-personal  ? 

8  What  is  your  opinion  on  the  utility  of  dunning-letters  ? 

9  Is  it  better  to  plead  than  to  scold  to  secure  payment  ? 

10  In  what  manner  may  a  postal  card  be  used  as  a  dunning 
instrument  ? 

11  When   should   an   account   be   passed   to   an   attorney   for 
collection  ? 

12  Should  threats  without  intention  to  act  ever  be  made  ? 

13  How  do  wholesalers  deal  with  fraudulent  debtors  ? 

14  In  what  way  does  a  form-letter  differ  from  a  personal  letter  ? 

15  How  is  it  more  economical  ? 

16  Specify   seven   subjects   that   can   be   treated   properly   in 
form-letters  ? 

17  What  is  the  principle  involved  in  making  a  form-letter  as 
economical  as  possible  ? 

18  What  is  meant  by  a  series  of  form-letters  ? 

19  When  would  a  form-letter  be  unprofitable  ? 

20  Does  a  form-letter  have  to  be  signed  personally  ? 

21  Why  are  "  2  "  and  "  3  "  better  than  "  2d  "  and  "  3d  "  ? 
State  when  both  may  be  used  correctly  ? 

22  Do  you  hyphenate  "  one  third,"  "  fifty  four,"  etc.  ? 


Exercises 

1  Messrs.  Lewison  &  Bowen,  of  your  city,  are  wholesalers 
and  retailers  of  dry-goods.  They  have  customers  in  all  four  classes 
described  on  page  138.  Be  careful  to  classify  each  customer  correctly, 
so  that  after  studying  pp.  138-146,  you  may  be  able  properly  to 
compose  the  letter.  Write  each  letter  on  full-sized  sheet,  properly 
diagramed,  in  handwriting  or  typewriting.  Credit  will  be  given 
according  to  neatness,  design  of  the  diagram,  proper  display  on 
the  page,  and  style. 


148  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Debtor  Class,  No.   i 

(See  second  letter,  page  139). 

Mr.  L.  S.  Benson,  125  Broadway,  New  York,  has  purchased  a 
large  bill  of  goods  on  ninety  days'  time.  A  statement  or  form-letter 
has  been  sent  to  him.  He  has  replied  "  that  he  has  no  money," 
and  gives  no  further  information.  Notice  that  the  goods  were 
sold  with  condition  of  payment  in  ninety  days. 

Write  letter  on  behalf  of  Messrs.  Lewison  &  Bowen. 

2.     Debtor  Class,  No.  2 

(Page  142) 

Mrs.  Jane  Harris,  Orange,  Mass.,  is  rich,  is  a  large  buyer  from 
Lewison  &  Bowen,  yet  her  payments  are  so  irregular  and  require 
so  much  time  and  trouble  to  collect  that  it  is  almost  unprofitable 
to  have  her  as  a  customer.  The  "  proper  "  form  of  letter  on  page  142 
has  been  sent,  and  the  only  answer  received  was  "  that  she  did  not 
want  to  be  bothered  and  would  pay  when  ready."  Remember 
that  you  cannot  afford  to  offend  her  (and  her  friends).  You  must 
devise  some  line  of  reasoning  that  will  appeal  to  her  self-interest 
(she  is  a  close  buyer)  to  pay  more  promptly. 

3.     Asking  for  an  Extension  of  Time 

Write  to  the  corporate  firm  of  John  Wanamaker,  Philadelphia, 
stating  that,  owing  to  the  dulness  of  trade,  you  are  unable  to  meet 
the  payment  for  goods  bought  last  month.  Say  that  a  few  of 
your  own  customers  have  been  unable  to  meet  their  obligations 
for  similar  reasons.  Assure  them  that  prospects  are  better  now, 
and  that  you  believe  that  the  outlook  for  the  future  is  brighter 
than  it  has  been  in  the  near  past,  and  that  you  hope  to  be  able  shortly 
to  meet  all  your  engagements.  Ask  for  an  extension  of  one  month's 
time. 

NOTE. — The  firm,  popularly  known  by  the  name  of  "  John 
Wanamaker,"  is  composed  of  several  persons.  The  incorporated 
name  is  "  John  Wanamaker  Philadelphia."  The  word  "  Philadel- 
phia is  a  part  of  the  corporation  name.  Select  the  proper 
introduction  and  salutation. 

4  Write  a  letter  from  L.  L.  Baxter,  191  Rand  Street,  Indiana- 
polis, Ind.,  to  Sterns  Bros.,  249  Jefferson  Street,  Louisville,  Ky., 
asking  them  to  remit  for  the  forty-two  dozen  shirts  costing  $420 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  149 


sent  them  two  months  ago.  State  that  the  bank  you  have  your 
account  in  has  become  insolvent,  and  consequently  it  is  necessary 
that  you  have  a  suppy  of  money  at  once. 

5  As    Shanley    Cobb    Manufacturing   Co.,    141    Roanoke  St., 
Richmond,    Va.,   you   have   received    an    angry  letter   from  your 
coal-dealer,  Samuel  Smith,  19  Center  Street,  complaining  that  you 
still  owe  him  a  bill  for   $212,   although  four  months  have  passed 
since  the  delivery  of  the  coal.     Write  in  reply  that  you  hold  a 
receipt  from  Mr.  Smith,  dated  two  weeks  after  the  delivery  of  the 
coal,  for  the  amount  in  full.     Point  out  to  Mr.  Smith  how  valuable 
politeness  may  be  in  a  letter.     Conclude  with  a  statement  that  you 
shall  prefer  in  the  future  to  deal  with  a  firm  whose  business  methods 
are  more  reliable. 

6  You  are  a  merchant  at  Hannibal,  Missouri,  at  the  time  of 
a  great  flood  of  the  Mississippi.     You  buy  corn  and  sell  groceries. 
One  of  your  creditors  writes  you  asking  you  to  pay  at  once  his 
bill  of  $249.50.     You  reply  stating  the  causes  of  the  delay  and 
promising  to  pay  as  soon  as  possible. 

7.  In  connection  with  a  dramatic  performance,  your  school 
has  printed  a  program  containing  advertisements.  One  of  your 
advertisers,  owing  you  $3.50,  has  not  yet  paid  his  advertisement. 
Write  to  him,  explaining  that  as  it  is  near  the  end  of  the  school 
year  and  you  are  about  to  graduate,  you  wish  all  accounts  cleared 
up, 

8  Miss  Anna  Corwin,  residing  at  159  Lee  Street,  Lexington, 
Ky.,  has  not  paid  her  gas-bill  of  $2.91.     The  auditor  of  the  Lexington 
Gas  Co.  writes  her  asking  her  to  remit  at  once. 

9  Miss  Corwin  replies,  explaining  that  she  is  unable  to  pay 
immediately   because    of    her    poor    circumstances.     She  requests 
the  gas  company  to  allow  her  a  little  time,  meanwhile  promising 
that  she  will  not  consume  any  more  gas  until  her  bill  has  been  paid. 
Under  these  circumstances  she  asks  that  the  gas-meter  be  allowed 
to  remain  in  her  home. 

10  As  the  Excelsior  Printshop,  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  write  to 
Mr.  Joseph  Ridge,  Woodbine,  Minnesota,  that  you  are  enclosing 
a  statement  of  his  account  for  unpaid  printing,  now  three  months 
overdue.  State  that  you  have  extended  him  every  accommodation, 
but  that  you  must  now  have  the  money.  Warn  him  that  if  he 
does  not  pay  by  the  10th  of  the  current  month,  you  will  be  obliged, 
to  your  regret,  to  place  the  account  into  an  attorney's  hands  for 
collection. 


CHAPTER  XII 

CIRCULAR  OR  FORM -LETTERS.    MISCELLANEOUS 

LETTERS 

IN  a  business  house  that  handles  a  certain  limited  class  of 
articles  correspondence  becomes  so  regular  and  systematized  that 
letters  resemble  one  another  like  grains  of  sand.  A  firm  doing  a 
large  business  necessarily  has  many  inquiries  demanding  identical 
replies.  Correspondents  generally  answer  such  letters  on  their  own 
responsibility,  or  to  economize  time  employ  what  are  called  "  form- 
letters."  These  are  typewritten  or  printed  letters  sent  in  reply  to 
such  inquiries  as  :  1  Why  the  delay  in  shipment  ?  2  Why  are 
goods  in  catalogues  not  obtainable  ?  3  Why  have  prices  gone  up  ? 
4  May  I  exchange  ?  etc.,  etc. ;  or  to  send  information  to  cus- 
tomers about :  1  Change  of  partners  or  of  ownership.  2  Prices, 
discounts,  credit,  etc.  3  Change  of  location,  or  other  matter  of 
interest. 

The  correspondent  refers  to  a  tabulated  list,  picks  out  the 
form-letter  referring  to  the  question  and  fills  in  the  date,  name,  etc. 

A  form-letter  should  be  so  constructed  as  to  be  a  suitable  answer 
to  as  many  inquiries  as  possible.  As  there  are  many  letters  making 
an  identical  inquiry,  so  there  are  many  that  require  nearly,  though 
not  exactly,  the  same  answer.  Thus  the  form-letter,  covering 
general  complaints,  may  have  to  be  changed  in  detail  according  to 
circumstances,  though  the  general  construction  remains  unaltered. 
These  subdivisions  of  the  form-letter  may  be  called  Complaint 
Form  No.  1,  No.  2,  No.  3,  etc.,  as  the  case  may  be.  The 
correspondent  knows  at  once  which  is  applicable  to  the  case. 

The  use  of  the  form-letter  is  determined  entirely  by  the  question 
whether  or  not  it  be  economical  to  use  it.  It  would  not  pay  to  make 
a  printed  form-letter  for  use  in  a  few  instances  only.  Its  use  is  also  to 
be  recommended  in  sending  out  information  as  to  change  of  location, 
partnership,  financial  policy,  etc.,  where  the  economy  is  evident. 

The  following  is  a  form-letter  sent  to  every  customer  of  a  firm, 
the  only  difference  being  that  the  name,  address,  and  salutation  are 
to  be  inserted  to  conform  to  different  persons.  The  signature  may 
be  pen-written,  typewritten,  or  made  with  a  stamp. 

150 


STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH  151 


Circular  Letter 

CARLTON  &    PADDOCK 

DRY-GOODS 
1401  Seventy -fifth  Street 

New    York,  March  12,  1913. 


We  the  undersigned   herewith   inform  our   esteemed 
customers  that  the  two  establishments  which  have  existed  hitherto 
under  the  names  of  William  Carlton  and  Henry  Paddock  will  be 
united  from  this  date  and  continued  under  the  style  of 

CARLTON  &    PADDOCK 

We  request  our  customers  to  carry  over  their  accounts 
to  the  new  firm  and  to  continue  to  us  their  former  favors. 

Our  business  will  not  in  any  respect  undergo  a  change, 
as  our  occupation  will  be  as  formerly  the  importation   of  dry- 
goods. 

Our  efforts  to  serve  our  customers  to  their  full  satis- 
faction will  be  greatly  increased  by  this  union  of  our 
establishments. 

Hoping  to  be  equally  successful  in  pleasing,  we  remain 
Yours  respectfully, 

CARLTON  &  PADDOCK. 

or 
STAMP. 


1 .  The  dotted  lines  are  to  be  filled  with  the  introduction  and  salutation. 

2.  The  signature  may  be  handwritten,  typewritten,  or  stamped. 
ii— (400) 


152  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Circular  or  Form-Letter 

(Received  from  a  mail-order  house  in  answer  to  request  for  catalogue.} 

Chicago,    III.,  March  4,   1914. 


Kind  Friend  : 

We  are  pleased  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  your 
favor  of  recent  date,  in  which  you  intimate  that  you  may  later  on 
favor  us  with  an  order.     We  thank  you  for  the  courtesy  you 
have  extended  in  favoring  us  with  this  reply,  and  we  shall  look 
forward  to  receiving  your  order  with  extreme  pleasure. 

When  we  mailed  you  our  catalogue,  we  did  so 
with  the  intention  of  giving  you  our  best  service,  and  you 
will  find  that  when  you  place  the  order  with  us,  it  will  receive 
the  same  careful  attention  that  would  be  given  were  you  to  call  at 
one  of  our  stores  to  make  a  personal  selection  of  the  goods. 

There  is  every  reason  why  you  should  send  your 
order  to  us,  and  if  you  will  again  refer  to  the  first  few  pages  of 
our  catalogue,  you  will  find  explained  a  few  of  these  great 
many  reasons.     If  there  is  any  doubt  in  your  mind  as  to  where 
you  can  place  your  order  to  the  best  advantage,  do  not  hesitate 
to  write  us  fully  in  regard  to  the  matter. 

We  have  established  a  reputation  for  courteous, 
honorable  and  fair  dealings  with  our  customers.     We  enjoy 
the  distinction  of  being  known  as  "  The  Most  Reliable 
Home-furnishers  in  America,"  and  we  mean  to  maintain  this 
reputation  under  all  circumstances. 

Trusting  to  be  favored  with  your  order  when 
you  are  ready  to  purchase,  and  assuring  you  that  we  will  put 
forth  every  effort  to  earn  your  fullest  confidence  in  the  transaction, 
we  beg  to  remain 

Yours  very  truly, 

1.  The  date  and  the  address  are  to  be  filled  in. 

2.  Note  the  peculiar  salutation.     It  is  a  question  whether  such  friendly 
greeting  to  a  perfect  stranger  is  productive  of  much  confidence  in  return. 

3.  Note  the  summary,  in  the  first  sentence,  of  the  letter  being  answered  ; 
also  the  expression  of  thanks  for  the  courtesy  received. 

4.  In  the  second  paragraph  see  how  skilfully  the  firm  seeks  to  remove  the 
impression  that  trading  by  mail  is  likely  to  be  less  satisfactory  than  when  done 
directly.     To  relieve  the  prospective  customer  of  this  idea  is  seen  to  be  the 
principal  object  of  the  letter.     Observe  that  it  is  again  referred  to  in  the  third 
paragraph. 

5.  Observe  in  the  last  paragraph  another  persistent  effort  to  dispel  the 
notion  that  trading  by  mail  is  not  satisfactory. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  153 


Form-Letter 

THE   BANK  &   HENDRICK   COMPANY 
22-30  East  Twenty-third  Street 

Also  :  24  Fleet  Street,  London. 

New    York,  November  19,   1909. 
Mr.  John  A.  Browne,  M.  A., 

Instructor  I.  A.  Dept, 

Columbia  University. 

Dear  Sir  : 

As  per  your  request  we  are  sending  you  to-day  The 
Condensed  Cyclopedia  of  the  World,  showing  specimen  pages  of  the 
newly  revised  and  greatly  enlarged  Concise  Dictionary. 

This  is  an  age  when  the  "  small  profit — quick  sale  " 
principle  rules.     Therefore,  as  an  incentive  to  "  quick  action  "  on 
your  part,  WE  WILL  MAKE  A  SPECIAL,  REDUCED  PRICE  FOR  CASH  IN 

ONE    PAYMENT    IN    ADDITION    TO    THE    10%    DISCOUNT,    AS    FOLLOWS  : 

Half-Russia  Reg.  Price,    $20,  send    $16.20 
Full-Russia  „  23,     ..         18.90 

Full-Morocco  „  27,     „         22.50 

Half-Russia  „  23,     ,.          18.90 

Full-Russia  „  27,     „         22.50 

Full-Morocco  „  31,     „         26.10 

We  will  hold  the  offer  open  for  you  until  December  19. 
OUR  EASY-PAYMENT  TERMS  :    If  you  prefer  to  pay  for 
the  work  in  instalments  at  the  regular  price  you  may  do  so.     Fill 
out  the  enclosed  form. 

Order  form  with  price  and  style  of  binding  as  per 
REGULAR  price-list  above  and  give  your  name  and  address.     Upon 
receipt  we  will  ship  you  the  work  C.  O.  D.    $2.     You  may  pay 
the  balance  in  instalments  of    $2  a  month.     We  pay  carriage 
charges. 

Very  truly  yours, 


1.  Note  the  capitalization  and  the  absence  of  quotation  marks  in  writing 
The  Condensed  Cyclopedia  of  the  World,  and  Concise  Dictionary. 

2.  Note  the  spelling  of  "  Cyclopedia,"  not  "  paedia."  and  that  the  description 
of  the  books  is  tabulated  in  the  center  of  the  page. 

3.  Note   that   C.   O.   D.    (collect  on   delivery)    is   capitalized  and   spaced. 
Observe  that  f.  o.  b.  is  written  with  lower-case  letters.     The  phrase  "  as  per  " 
should  be  avoided. 


154  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Impersonal  Letter  of  Recommendation 

JACKSON.    BLAKE   &   CO.- 

SILK  MANUFACTURERS  AND  IMPORTERS 

221  Greene  St. 

New    York,  August  4,  1913. 
To  WHOM  IT  MAY  CONCERN  : 

This  is  to  certify  that  Mr.  Thomas 

W.  Benson  has  been  in  our  employ  during  the  last  eight  years  and 
has  always  given  entire  satisfaction  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 
On  account  of  a  serious  decline  in  our  trade  we  have 
been  obliged  to  dispense  with  Mr.  Benson's  services,  but  should  be 
greatly  pleased  to  engage  him  again  should  the  opportunity  present 
itself. 

Mr.  Benson's  habits  are  exemplary,  his  knowledge  of  the 
duties  of  correspondent  all  that  could  be  wished,  while  his  industry 
and  trustworthiness  are  unquestioned. 

JACKSON,  BLAKE  &  Co. 


1.  Note  the  capitalization  of  the  salutation,  the  absence  of  an  introduction, 
and  the  omission  of  complimentary  close. 

2.  Many  firms  do  not  issue  commendatory  letters  on  account  of  possibility 
of  forgery,  but  authorize  departing  employees  to  have  references  made  to 
them  by  telephone  or  by  letter. 

3.  Do   not  submit   original   references   to   prospective   employers  ;    send 
only  copies  plainly  marked  "Copy." 

4.  Impersonal  letters  bearing  such  address  as  "  P.  O.  Box  96  ' '  and  others 
have  "  Gentlemen  ' '  as  salutation  on  the  rule  that  in  language  the  masculine 
plural  includes  the  feminine  plural  and  singular  of  both  genders.      A  salutation 
in  the  singular  in  such  instances  would  exclude  the  plural  of  both  sexes. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  155 


Letter  of  Resignation 

499  Third  Avenue, 
New    York,  December  1,    1913. 

Messrs.    Wilson   &  Colby, 

264  Denver  Ave., 

New  York. 

Gentlemen  : 

Owing  to  greater  opportunity  to  further  my  future 
prospects  and  to  a  considerable  increase  over  my  present 
salary,  I  regret  to  offer  my  resignation  to  take  effect  January  1,  1913. 
I  fully  appreciate  the  consideration  with  which  I  have  always 
been  treated  by  your  firm,  and  express  the  hope  that  you  will 
kindly  recommend  me  to  my  new  employers,  Messrs.  Ingold  &  Lawson 
of  89  Broadway,  this  city. 

Thanking  you  for  your  many  past  courtesies,  I  am 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

Review  Questions  for  Chapter  XII 

'  1     Why  is  "  $5  "  preferable  to  "  $5  00  "  ? 
Is  "  $5  "  correct  ? 

2  What  is  a  circular  or  form-letter  ?     On  what  occasions  is 
it  employed  ? 

3  At  what  points  are  blanks  to  be  left  in  a  form-letter  ? 

4  What  are  some  possible  objections  to  a  form-letter  ? 

5  What  does  "  f.  o.  b."  mean  ? 

6  What  style  should  be  followed  in  a  letter  of  resignation  ? 

7  In  what  particulars  of  form  does  a  letter  of  recommendation 
sometimes  differ  from  other  letters  ? 

8  How  would  you  address  "  P.  O.  Box  96  "  ? 

9  What  is  the  practice  of  certain  firms  with  reference  to  letters 
of  recommendation  ? 

10     Do  you  send  your  references  with  a  letter  of  application  ? 

Exercises 

1  Write  a  letter  from  the  Duplicate  Sales  Company  such  as 
could  be  sent  to  any  one  of  a  large  number  of  firms,  explaining 
the  advantages  of  having  a  form-letter  on  the  goods  the  particular 
firm  sells.     Impress  the  fact  that  the  Duplicate  Sales  Co.  produces 
printed  letters  which  can  absolutely  not  be  told  from  typewritten 
letters.     Show  the  importance  of  reaching  people  through  the  mails. 

2  Draw  up  a  letter  of  about  fifty  words,  suitable  for  printing 
on   a  little  card,   from  Wm.   Pomeroy,   Tailor,   482  Elm   Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  to  any  customer  who  has  sent  him  a  remittance. 


156  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


3  Draw  up  a  form-letter  (50  words)  for  any  company  advising 
any  correspondent  that  his  letter  on  a  given  subject  (provide  blank 
lines)  has  been  received  and  is  assured  of  prompt  attention. 

4  Write  a  form-letter  for  the  New  York  Telephone  Co.  notifying 
a  prospective  subscriber  that  he  will  find  a  contract   enclosed, 
in  accordance  with  arrangement,  providing  for  service  at  a  given 
place.     Give  directions  for  signing  two  copies,  having  signatures 
witnessed,     and    returning    contracts     at    once,     together    with 
remittance  for  a  given  sum. 

5  Write  a  letter  of  resignation  as  president  or  secretary  of  your 
class. 

6  Write  a  letter  of  recommendation  for  a  servant-girl  who  has 
been  in  your  mother's  service  for  two  years. 

7  As  head  of  the  firm  of  Edward  Champ,  Iron  Dealer,  249  E. 
Seventh  Ave.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  write  a  letter  of  recommendation 
for  your  chief  clerk,  Sidney  Truevale,  who  is  anxious  to  get  a  position 
in  Boston. 

8  Draw   up    a    contract   form   for    advertisements    in    your 
school-paper. 

f  T  9    Invite   possible   customers   of   the  Vail  Department  Store, 
200  Congress  St.,  Portland,  Maine,  to  open  a  charge  account. 

10  Resign  a  position  as  clerk  in  a  grocery  store,  in  which  you 
have  worked  a  year  and  a  half,  because  you  intend  to  go  to 
college. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

TESTING   YOURSELF  :     HOW   TO    SECURE    A 
PERFECT   LETTER 

AFTER  you  have  written  your  letter,  read  it  over  carefully.     Note 
the  following  suggestions  : 

1  Examine  the  sheet  to  see  that  it  is  unsoiled.     Use  only  the 
best  stationery. 

2  Estimate  the  number  of  words  so  as  to  determine  the  margins 
and  spacing  to  be  used. 

3  -Select  the  shortest  words  if  suitable  to  convey  the  sense, 
using  words  of  Anglo-Saxon  origin  if  possible. 

4  Use  no  foreign  words  or   phrases  whatever   that   have  an 
equivalent   in  English.     Foreign  expressions   and  affectation   are 
identical  nowadays,  when  everyone  is  supposed  to  know  two  or 
three  languages. 

5  Refer  indirectly  to  the  reception  of  the  letter  being  answered. 

6  In  the  first  paragraph  summarize  the  contents  of  the  letter 
being  answered. 

7  Write  short  sentences,  preventing  monotony  by  interspers- 
ing a  longer  one  here  and  there. 

8  Where  possible  have   the   sentence   end   with  the  line   or 
finish  the  paragraph. 

9  Punctuate   sparingly.     When    in    doubt    use    no    commas. 
See  that  a  full  date-line  has  three  commas. 

10  Distinguish  carefully  between  sentence  and  paragraph. 

11  Display  orders  for  goods  and  tabulated  matter  in  center  of 
the  page. 

12  Carefully  select   the   proper   title,  salutation,   and   compli- 
mentary close. 

13  After  the  salutation  use  the  colon  only. 

14  Under  no  circumstances  be  impolite.     Reserve  harsh  words 
(if  necessary)  for  oral  delivery. 

15  Seldom  use  abbreviations  in  typewriting  ;   use  them  only  as 
they  are  given  in  the  dictionary.     Do  not  abbreviate  the  months 
of     the     year.      Never     abbreviate     "  ultimo,"    "  instant,"     and 
"  proximo,"   unless  they  end  the  sentence.     Do  not   abbreviate 
"  New  York,"  meaning  the  city. 

16  Do  not  abbreviate  "  per  centum  "  into  "  per  cent,"  as  that 
means  changing  the  sense  from  "  so  many  parts  in  the  hundred  " 
to  "  so  many  parts  in  the  cent."     Keep  the  true  meaning  by  writing 
the  period  after  the  abbreviation,  as,  "  per  cent." 

157 


158  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


17  Do  not  use  the  sign  "  &  "  except  between  firm  or  corporate 
names.     Spell  it  out,  "  and." 

18  Where  figures  occur  frequently  do  not  spell  some  out  and 
not  others.     For  numbers  under  a  hundred  spell  out  all  or  use  all 
figures  ;   over  99  use  figures  only. 

19  Always  use  figures  in  an  order  for  goods  and  generally  in 
sums  of  money. 

20  Do  not  carry  over  to  the  next  line  syllables  like  "  ly," 
"  ed,"   "  it."     Divide  the  word  elsewhere  or  not  at  all.     Never 
divide  a  proper  name. 

21  Use  no  spelling  not  authorized  by  the  Standard,  Webster's, 
or  the  Century  dictionaries. 

22  Do  not  follow  newspapers  and  cheap  printers  who  try  to 
establish  a  style  of  their  own  ;  as  in  writing  "  to-day,"  "  to-morrow," 
"  to-night "   without   a   hyphen.     The   only   accepted  guides   for 
spelling  in  America  are  the  three  above-named  dictionaries. 

23  Hyphenate   compound   adjectives,   but    not   when   formed 
of  an  adverb  in  "ly"  and  an  adjective,  nor  a  possessive  compound 
adjective. 

24  Be  especially  alert  to  detect  the  plural  possessive  and  see 
that  the  apostrophe  is  properly  placed.     Of  all  errors  this  is  the 
commonest  in  writing. 

25  Read  over  the  letter  for  faults  in  sense  and  grammar.     Call 
the  dictator's  attention  to  errors  in  sense,  if  necessary,  but  make 
corrections  in  grammar  yourself.     Remember  you  are  hired  to  do 
more   than   pound   keys.     If   you   cannot   command   the   proper 
typewriting   and   composition   style   you   are   unlikely   to   inspire 
confidence  and  rise  from  that  situation.     Perfecting  yourself  in 
business-English  style  is  the  key  to  success. 

Go  over  any  letter  you  may  have  written,  or  any  test-letter, 
with  the  help  of  the  following  table : 

Number  of  Errors         Line 

1  Spacing  errors 

2  Punctuation 

3  Wrong  style  of  figures 

4  False  abbreviations 

5  Omission  of  title 

6  Failure  to  use  & 

7  Error  of  address 

8  Spelling  errors 

9  False  plurals 

10  Uneconomical  abbreviation 

1 1  Possessive  errors 

12  Wrong  pronouns 

13  Wrong  number  of  verb 

14  Wrong  compounds 

15  Unhyphenated  phrases 

16  Absence  of  question  marks 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  159 


Number  of  Errors         Line 

17  Split  infinitive 

1 8  Wrong  style  for  dash 

1 9  Incorrect  phrase 

20  Improper  use  of  "  etc." 

21  Impoliteness 

22  Improper  capitalization 

23  Failure  to  capitalize 

Total    

Words  having  more  than  one  error  are  counted  accordingly. 

Advice  to  Stenographers 

One  of  the  hardest  things  with  which  an  amanuensis  has  to 
contend  is  the  habit  of  the  dictator  carelessly  and  quickly  to 
pronounce  the  name  and  the  address  of  the  person  or  persons  for 
whom  the  letter  is  intended.  As  a  rule,  the  stenographer  must 
be  extremely  alert  and  well  informed  as  to  the  different  ways  of 
spelling  proper  names  of  the  same  pronunciation,  or  he  must  request 
the  spelling  or  have  the  whole  introduction  repeated.  It  is  not 
the  fault  of  the  dictator,  for  those  not  acquainted  with  phono- 
graphy do  not  understand  why  one  word  should  be  any  harder  to 
write  than  another. 

A  simple  way  of  avoiding  errors  in  the  address  is  for  the  steno- 
grapher to  request  the  dictator  to  give  the  letter  a  number.  This 
figure  is  then  put  into  the  note-book  at  the  head  of  the  notes. 
When  the  stenographer  needs  the  address,  he  refers  to  the  letter 
having  the  number  that  corresponds  to  the  one  at  the  head  of  his 
notes. 

Time  is  saved  in  this  way,  and  the  chances  of  error  are  minimized 
in  case  of  faulty  pronunciation,  the  stenographer's  poor  hearing, 
and  the  different  ways  of  spelling  proper  names  identical  in  sound. 
To  spell  a  person's  name  incorrectly  is  a  grievous  error,  as  he  is 
likely  to  attribute  it  to  lack  of  consideration. 

One  never  knows  how  a  stenographer  may  space  or  capitalize  or 
hyphenate  a  proper  name,  so  the  best  way  to  avoid  error  is  to  let 
him  refer  to  the  signature  of  the  original  letter.  Some  foreign 
names  admit  of  various  styles  of  composition  and  capitalization, 
so  the  best  rule  to  follow  is  to  assume  that  each  person  is  his  own 
authority  for  writing  his  name,  even  though  it  be  some  ridiculous 
combination  of  English  and  French — Mr.  John  de  Young,  or  James 
d' Alton  Long,  for  instance.  Do  not  divide  a  proper  name. 

Stenographers  should  strive  hard  to  overcome  the  natural 
timidity  to  interrupt  the  reader  or  the  dictator,  as  they  fear  that 
by  breaking  in  they  give  offense.  Pupils  should  be  assured  of  the 
fact  that  not  to  get  the  dictation  accurately  is  in  every  case  fully 


160  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


as  bad  as  to  leave  parts  out.  A  reasonable  dictator  has  confidence 
in  one  who  does  not  hesitate  to  interrupt,  and  will  always  accord 
a  just  trial  to  prove  future  fitness.  But  to  the  stenographer  who 
is  too  timid  to  demand  repetition  little  opportunity  is  given  to 
improve  when  errors  of  omission  or  of  mishearing  are  detected. 

It  is  customary  in  class  not  to  interrupt  during  dictation,  but 
to  await  the  end  of  the  letter.  This  is  wrong.  The  quality  of 
the  dictation  should  fit  the  individual.  Members  of  the  class 
who,  for  one  reason  or  another,  are  obliged  habitually  to  break 
in,  properly  do  not  belong  to  that  class. 


Typewriting  Style 

1  How  long  and    how    wide  (in  inches)   is  a  sheet  of 
typewriting  paper  of  letter-head  size  ?     Of  note-head  sizes  ? 

2  How  many  single-spaced  typewritten  lines  to  the  inch  ? 
About  how  many  words  to  the  full  line  ? 

3  If  a  letter  contains  172  words,  besides  the  date-line, 
introduction,  salutation,  and  the  complimentary  close,  on  what 
line  from  the  top  of  the  sheet  do  you  write  the  date-line,  spacing 
double,  and  putting  the  whole  contents  exactly  in  the  center 
of  the  sheet  ?     A  letter  of  200  ?     Of  124  triple  spaced  ? 

4  How  many  scale-points  are  paragraphs  indented  ? 

5  How  do  you  figure,  making  use  of  the  scale  in  counting, 
to  write  the  heading  "  Re  Cotton  Spools  "  exactly  in  center  of 
page-line  ? 

6  Work   out   a   heading   written   in   three-line   pyramid 
form  and  give  the  scale-figure  for  each  line. 

7  Do  you  leave  a  space  before  and  after  a  dash  coming 
between  two  words  ?     How  is  the  dash  made  ? 

8  What  is  the  difference  between  a  hyphen  and  a  dash 
in  typewriting  ?     A  dash  is  a  double  hyphen. 

9  How  do  you  make  the  sign  for  "  pound  sterling  "  (£) 
on  the  typewriter  ?     Strike  hyphen  over  capital  L. 

10     How  do  you  typewrite  a  line  underneath  a  word  ? 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  161 

1 1  What  errors  may  be  corrected  by  typewriting,  the  act 
of  correction  being  hardly  visible  ?     Write  p,   o,  e  over  c  ; 
p,  b,  q  over  o ;   y  over  v  ;   h  over  n  ;    ,  and  :  over.  ;  ;  over  :  . 

12  How  many  words  a  minute  does  the  average  student 
sight-typewriter  type  from  notes  ?    25.    The  touch-writer  ?  50. 

13  May  you  carry  to  the  next  line  syllables  of  two  letters, 
as  "  ed,"  "  ly,"  "  it,"  etc.  ? 

14  How  many  times  do  you  space  after  a  colon  ?     Twice. 

After  a  period  ?     Twice.     After  a  semicolon  ?     Once. 
Before  and  after  a  dash  ?     Not  at  all. 
Where  are  the  initials  written  of  the  one  who  dictated 
and  the  one  who  typed  the  letter  ? 

15  Which  of  the  following  lines  requires  the  longer  time  to 
typewrite,  and  why  ?     Which  is  the  neater  ? 

Ult.,  inst.,  prox. 
Ultimo,  instant,  proximo 

16  How  do  you  make  an  exclamation  point  in  typewriting  ? 
Strike  the  apostrophe  over  the  period. 

17  How  may 

88888  8  8 

88  8888  88888 

8  88  888 

8888  88888  8 

be  typewritten  in  equidistant  columns  exactly  in  the  center  ? 

Divide  the  scale  by  the  number  of  columns  to  be  made  plus  one. 
The  figures  thus  obtained  will  be  the  points  under  which  to  center  the 
longest  number  of  each  column. 

18  Why  are  the  margins  on  a  short  letter  ten  points  or 
more  from  the  edge  of  sheet  instead  of  five  as  on  a  long  letter  ? 

19  How  do  you  compose  a  simple  but  exact  partnership 
agreement  ? 


162  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Review  Questions  for  Chapter  XIII 

1  Do  dictators  always  pronounce  proper  names  slowly  and 
clearly  ?     Why  not  ? 

2  What  does  the  careful  stenographer  do  to  be  certain  to  get 
the  correct  spelling  of  proper  names  ? 

3  What  is  gained  in  addition  to  correct  spelling  ? 

4  Why  does  a  person  resent  having  his  name  misspelled  ? 

5  To  what  does  he  attribute  this  misspelling  ? 

6  How  does  the  stenographer  obtain  the  correct  capitalizing 
or  hyphenating  of  the  name  ? 

7  What  is  meant  by  balancing  the  contents  on  the  page  ? 

8  What  would  be  the  effect  in  appearance  if  the  contents  of 
pages  71  and  94  were  crowded  together  at  the  bottom  of  the  page  ? 

9  Would  the  balance  be  any  better  were  the  contents  massed 
at  the  top  ? 

10  Why,  in  the  letters  on  pages  75  and  76  are  the  margins  so 
wide  at  the  sides  and  at  the  top  and  the  bottom  ? 

11  Would  you  write  a  letter  containing  twelve  lines  or  less 
on  a  full-sized  letter-sheet  ? 

12  What  is  the  object  of  the  peculiar  display  shown  on  page  91  ? 

13  Give  several  reasons  why  the  contents  on  page  90  could  not 
to  advantage  be  spaced  otherwise  ? 

14  May  the  character  &  substitute  for  "  and  "  in  the  body  of 
the  letter  except  in  firm  or  corporate  names  ? 

15  Which    do    you    prefer    for    neatness :     "  ultimo,    instant, 
proximo,"  or  "  ult.,  hist.,  prox."  ? 

16  Which  of  the  following  is  correct  ? 

A  quick-lunch  counter.     A  high  priced  dress. 

17  Do  you  hyphenate   "  to-day,"    "  to-night,"    "  to-morrow," 
"  first-class  "  ? 

18  Do  you  always  put  hyphens  between  compound  adjectives 
qualifying  a  noun  ? 

19  May  a  person's  name  be  divided  at  the  end  of  a  line  ? 

20  What  is  meant  by  the  term  "  amanuensis  "  ?     What  is  the 
derivation  of  the  word  ? 

21  Is  a  compound  adjective  composed  of  an  adverb  ending  in 
"  ly  "  and  an  adjective  hyphenated,  as  in 

A  highly  valued  letter 
An  easily  arranged  affair  ? 

22  Are  all  the  following  compound  adjectives  correct  ? 

A  made-to-order  hat 

Your  much-appreciated  letter 

Blue-black  polish 

A  50-cent  dish 

A  much-to-be-wondered-at  affair 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  163 

23    Why  does  one  of  the  following  phrases  require  hyphens, 

and  the  other  none  ? 

This  so-called  "  up-to-date  "  hat  is  not  "  up  to  date." 
RULE. — Compound  attributive  adjectives  are  hyphenated. 

Compound  predicate  adjectives  and  phrases  are  not. 

Exercise  (Typewriting) 

(Must  be  worked  out  without  access  to  typewriter) 

1  In  centering  the  following,  mention  the  scale-figures  where  it  begins 
and  ends  : 

United  States  Congress 

2  Put  the  following  in  inverted  pyramid  form,  single  spaced,  the  first 
line  to  have  not  more   than  seven  words  (imagine  the  width  of   the  line  to 
be  72  or  80  scale-points)  : 

Comprising  selections  of  original  letters  relating  to 

twenty-seven  different  lines  of  business 

arranged  with  vocabularies  and 

engraved  shorthand  signs 

and  legal  phrases 

After  arranging  the  lines  mention  the  figure  on  the  scale  at  which  each  line 
is  indented. 

3  How  many  words  may  be  written  in  a  space  six  inches  deep  of  regular 
letter-head   size   with   five-point   margin   single   spaced  ?     Double   spaced  ? 
Triple  spaced  ? 

4  If  the  first  word  begins  on  the  fifteenth  line,  single  spaced,  from  the 
top  of  a  full-sized  letter-head  sheet  on  which  line  will  the  200th  word  appear 
if  the  matter  be  double  spaced  ? 

5  Describe  how  to  correct  an  error  while  making  several  carbon  copies. 

6  Name  fifteen  different  parts  of  the  typewriter  used  in  actual  work. 

7  How  much  a  hundred  words  (a  folio)  would  you  charge  for  typing 
ordinary  work  without  or  with  making  carbon  copies  ?     For  legal  work  ? 
How  much  a  thousand  for  mimeograph  copies  ?      If  time  work,  such  as 
tabulating,  how  much  an  hour  ? 

8  A  letter  to  be  typewritten  has  150  words  in  the  body,  besides  date-line, 
introduction,  salutation,  and  complimentary  close.  It  is  to  be  typed  on  a  letter- 
head sized  sheet  (11  x  8£)  with  a  two-inch  printed  letter-head.     How  would 
you  display  it  to  best  advantage  ?     Give  the  number  of  the  line  from  the 
top  at  which  you  would  begin,  what  spacing  you  would  use,  and  the  marginal 
indentions. 

9  Your  employer  asks  you  to  make  a  trial  circular  letter  to  contain  three 
paragraphs,  the  first  to  have  60  words,  the  second  40,  and  the  third  80. 
Between  the  paragraphs  are  to  be  two  blank  lines.     Center  the  whole  on  the 
sheet  and  mention  on  what  line  from  the  top  each  paragraph  should  begin. 
The  margin  is  to  be  five  points. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
GENERAL   REVIEW   OF   CORRESPONDENCE 

Review  Exercise  i 
Questions  on  Correspondence 

To    determine   whether    the    pupil    has    properly    studied    the 
foregoing  pages  the  following  questions  may  be  used  : 

1  Mention  four  worn-out  opening  phrases  of  a  letter. 

2  What  is  meant  by  summarizing  your  correspondent's  letter 
while  answering  it  ? 

3  How  does  poor  stationery  impress  the  receiver  ? 

4  To  what  extent  may  imitations  of  typewriting  be  used  ? 

5  Mention  several  reasons  for  preferring  Anglo-Saxon  words. 

6  State  the  objection  to  using  foreign  terms. 

7  State  the  difference  between  the  sentence  and  the  paragraph. 

8  Why  is  politeness  necessary  ? 

9  What  precautions  should  be  used  in  writing  an  order  for 
goods  ? 

10  How  should  different  persons  be  treated  in  dunning  letters  ? 

1 1  Describe  a  form-letter  ? 

12  What  kind  of  correspondence,  and  how  written, 'is  libel ous  ? 

13  Mention  five  ways  of  displaying  the  contents  of  a  letter. 

14  Define  formal  social  correspondence  as  distinct  from  informal. 

15  Describe  the  salutations  used  in  social  letters  and  the  style 
for  women's  signatures. 

16  How  does  social  differ  from  business  stationery  ? 

17  May  formal  cards  of  invitation,  wedding,   visiting,  etc.,  be 
printed  instead  of  engraved  ? 

18  How  does  the  punctuation  of  formal  notes,  letters,  etc.,  differ 
from  "that  used  in  informal  notes,  cards,  or  letters  ? 

19  Are  informal  writings  in  the  first  or  third  person  ? 

20  Describe  the  several  duties  of  a  private  secretary. 

21  Describe  the  keeping  of  his  employer's  petty  expenses. 

22  If  you  were  an  employer,  which  would  appeal  to  you  more 
strongly,  a  weak,  timid,  uncertain  letter  of  application,  or  one  pre- 
cise and  self-assertive,  containing  assurances  of  ability  to  back  up 
any  statement  made  ? 

23  Why  should  an   applicant  "  follow  up  "  an  inquiry   when 
seeking  a  position  ? 

24  State  the  difference  between  loose  and  close  punctuation. 

25  When  is  either  to  be  used  ? 

164 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


165 


Review  Exercise  2 

Select  from  the  following  the  Preferred  Form,  where  there  are 

more  than  one  of  the  same  meaning,  and  the  remaining 

words  that  are  CORRECTLY  written 

Use   Index,   Appendix,  and  Glossary 


My  Dear  Sir 

P.M. 

10% 

$5,00 

Fourth  st. 

No.  1 

Mess. 

phone 

10  of  August 

Number  1 

'change 

10  per  cent. 

Grade  A. 

Gentlemen  :- 

state  of  New  York 

No.  two 

Gentlemen  :  — 

S5 

english 

Lee,  Page  and  Co. 

2  Doz.  hats 

25  M  ft. 

#    2  John  St. 

c/o  Brown  Co. 

Dear  Mesdames 

$5. 

Messrs 

Jean  De  Reszke 

a.m. 

five  per  cent. 

August  10th 

June  5 

Yours  truly 

ten  per  centum 

Supreme  court 

Messrs. 

yes,  Sir 

in  the  west 

Gentlemen  : 

Bld'g. 

Mr. 

Dear  Madams 

mss. 

Winter 

re. 

1  Bow  St.,  N.Y. 

a.  m. 

MSS 

Exercise  3.       Composition 

The  Answers  to  Exercises  should  occupy  a  single  sheet  and  should, 

if  convenient,  be  typewritten  and  handed  in,  one  daily, 

or  all  together  at  end  of  week.     Percentage 

grade  according  to  quality. 

Henry  Thompson  (yourself)  intends  to  start  a  furniture  store. 
He  is  now  in  communication  with  the  Saginaw  Furniture  Co.,  of 
Saginaw,  Mich.  He  requires  desks,  chairs,  fixtures,  etc.  He  has 
been  assured  by  the  agent  of  the  company  in  his  (your)  town  of  low 
prices,  good  discounts,  etc. 


166  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

I 

Write  to  the  Saginaw  Furniture  Co.  for  catalogues,  price-lists, 
terms  of  payment,  etc.  Enclose  one  bank  reference  and  one 
first-class  mercantile  reference.  Express  desire  to  open  an  account 
if  satisfactory  relations  can  be  established.  (About  75  words.) 

II 

Write,  on  the  part  of  the  Saginaw  Furniture  Co.,  a  letter  of 
inquiry  to  two  of  the  references  of  Henry  Thompson — Messrs. 
Jones  &  Sons,  Boston,  Mass.,  and  Mr.  C.  P.  Towne,  12  Broadway, 
New  York.  Ask  about  his  business  standing,  reliability,  etc. 
Mention  that  the  matter  will  be  kept  strictly  confidential,  and 
express  willingness  to  reciprocate  whenever  the  occasion  arises. 
(About  80  words.) 

Ill 

Write,  on  the  part  of  each  reference,  a  letter  highly  recommending 
Mr.  Thompson  for  his  business  ability,  honesty,  and  good  standing. 
Mention  his  experience  in  business  and  the  probability  of  future 
success.  Make  each  letter  differ  as  much  as  possible,  while  adhering 
to  the  general  idea  of  recommendation.  (About  80  words.) 

IV 

Now  write,  on  the  part  of  the  Saginaw  Furniture  Co.,  to  the  effect 
that  they  should  be  greatly  pleased  to  open  an  account  with  him, 
assuring  him  of  the  excellence  of  their  furniture,  the  comparatively 
low  prices,  favorable  discounts,  shipping  terms,  etc.  Mention 
that  full  particulars  will  be  found  in  the  catalogues  that  will  follow 
under  separate  cover.  (From  80  to  100  words.) 

V 

You  have  received  catalogues  and  other  information  from  the 
Saginaw  Furniture  Co.  You  have  reason  to  believe,  but  are  not 
certain,  that  its  goods  are  first-class.  Write  a  letter  inquiring  in 
detail  as  to  what  special  points  of  excellence  there  are  in  that 
company's  products  over  those  of  others.  Mention  that  all  cata- 
logues are  very  much  alike,  but  that  you  must  have  further 
information  in  order  to  decide  which  to  patronize. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  167 


Exercise  4 
Publishing-Business  Narrative 

(Write  each  letter  on  full  letter-sheet) 

Mr.  G.  Scribal,  of  83  W.  98th  St.,  New  York,  having  material  on 
the  subject  of  antique  decorative  household  utensils,  wishes  the 
publishing  firm  of  Messrs.  Lippman  &  Co.,  of  50  Astor  Place, 
New  York,  to  make  it  up  into  a  book. 

I 

Mr.  Scribal  inquires  of  Lippman  &  Co.  under  what  conditions  they 
will  undertake  the  work.  He  says  that  the  book  will  contain  about 
400  pages  in  type  of  various  sizes,  many  foot-notes,  contents,  and 
index,  and  there  will  be  a  large  number  of  sketches  and  photographs 
to  be  reproduced  as  the  publisher  thinks  best. 

The  best  quality  of  paper  and  binding  are  to  be  used.  He  expects 
the  publisher  to  pay  all  the  expenses  of  advertising  and  selling  the 
'book,  and  wishes  an  estimate  without  having  to  submit  the  copy. 

I! 

On  receipt  of  Mr.  Scribal's  letter  Lippman  &  Co.  respond  to  the 
effect  that  though  the  book  might  sell  fairly  well,  yet  there  would 
be  no  certainty  ;  that  in  such  case  it  is  customary  for  the  author  to 
share  the  expense  in  proportion  to  the  risk  involved ;  and  that  in 
this  particular  instance  he  would  be  required  to  pay  the  whole  cost 
of  reproducing  the  sketches,  photographs,  and  other  illustrations. 
On  the  other  hand,  as  compensation,  he  would  receive  a  ten-per- 
cent, royalty  on  the  retail  price  of  each  book  sold.  No  royalty 
however,  would  be  allowed  on  presentation  or  review  copies.  They 
express  regret  not  to  be  able  to  send  an  estimate  of  the  cost  on  the 
ground  that  long  experience  has  taught  them  that  it  is  injurious 
to  the  interests  of  both  author  and  publisher. 

Ill 

Mr.  Scribal  replies  and  states  that  he  differs  in  opinion  from  the 
publishers  as  to  the  salability  of  his  book.  He  says  that  the  illus- 
trations will  be  of  high  artistic  merit,  while  the  historic  reading- 
matter  will  appeal  strongly  to  popular  taste.  However,  he  further 
says  that  if  it  is  a  fixed  custom  in  the  trade  to  place  such  charges 
on  the  author  he  will  accept  them.  Being  wholly  ignorant  on  the 
subject  of  the  cost  of  book-producing  he  again  requests  a  rough 
draft  of  probable  expense. 

12— (400) 


168  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


IV 

Lippman  &  Co.  repeat  that  it  is  contrary  to  their  custom  to  sub- 
mit estimates  without  having  examined  the  manuscript ;  but  that 
as  Mr.  Scribal  is  wholly  ignorant  of  the  cost  of  bookmaking  they 
make  an  exception  in  his  favor  and  enclose  a  draft  of  the  probable 
cost.  Mr.  Scribal,  however,  is  to  understand  that  the  estimate  is 
extremely  rough  and  furnished  him  solely  to  enable  him  to  get  an 
idea  of  the  amount  he  may  be  called  upon  to  pay  in  the  event  of 
their  publishing  his  work. 


Exercise   5 

University  of  the  State  of  New    York 
Regents1  Examination  in  Business  English 

(Sixteenth  Examination) 

Every  letter  is  to  be  formally  addressed  to  some  -person  or  firm  and 
to  be  formally  signed  by  the  writer  unless  otherwise  directed.  All 
answers  will  be  rated  as  to  spelling,  punctuation,  capitalization,  and 
neatness,  and  also  as  to  correct  use  of  words,  sentence  structure,  logical 
sequence  of  ideas,  paragraphing,  and  general  intelligence.  Papers 
entitled  to  75  or  more  credits  will  be  accepted.  (Three  hours.) 

A 

Write  an  essay  of  250  to  400  words  (limitations  to  be  strictly 
observed)  on  the  qualifications  and  duties  of  the  modern  book- 
keeper. Devote  at  least  half  of  the  essay  to  an  explanation  of  the 
advantage  of  having  four  money  columns  on  each  page  of  a  cashbook 
and  to  the  manner  of  using  a  sales-ledger  and  of  showing  the 
results  in  the  main  ledger. 

B 

Candidates  taking  the  stenographers'  course  may  write  250  to 
400  words  on  the  duties  and  on  the  education  and  other  general 
and  special  qualifications  necessary  for  the  amanuensis  in  a  business 
office,  including  a  description  of  the  apparatus  and  appliances  that 
such  amanuensis  should  be  able  to  use  and  of  the  manner  of  their  use. 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  169 

C 

Write  a  letter  of  application  in  reply  to  the  following  : 

W/ ANTED. — First-class  stenographer  and 
typewriter.  Address,  stating  educa- 
tion, experience,  and  salary,  A.  L.  B., 
Journal  office. 

Exercise  6 

The  following  Exercises  are  based  on  this  narrative  : 

Walter  Stillman,  chief  clerk  for  Breed  &  Foster,  wholesale 
grocers,  Albany,  writes,  July  28,  1904,  to  his  friend  John 
Chester,  Butte  City,  Mont.,  where  Chester  owns  some  mining 
properties.  Stillman  says  that  his  firm  is  about  to  sell  out 
and  retire,  and  urges  Chester  to  join  him  in  the  purchase,  which 
he  says  will  yield  a  fine  income.  As  a  result  of  the  negotiations, 
Chester  satisfactorily  arranges  his  mining  interests  and  the 
men  form  an  unlimited  partnership  under  the  name  of  Stillman 
&  Chester.  Breed  &  Foster  agree  to  sell  the  entire  stock  on 
hand  for  $12,000  and  the  good- will  for  $4,000,  the  amount 
to  be  paid  half  in  cash  and  half  in  approved  notes.  Further 
details  appear  in  the  following  transactions  : 

AUG.  12 

Stillman  invests  cash  $3,000  and  his  note  (secured  by  real 
estate  mortgage)  $4,000,  this  date,  payable  to  the  order  of  the 
new  firm,  six  months  after  date,  with  interest ;  Chester  invests 
cash  $10,000.  The  new  firm  opens  an  account  with  the 
Commercial  National  Bank  and  deposits  $13,000  cash.  The 
old  firm  surrenders  the  business  and  receives  in  full  payment 
certified  check  $8,000,  the  note  of  Walter  Stillman  indorsed  by 
Stillman  &  Chester,  and  note  of  Stillman  &  Chester  $4,000, 
payable  one  year  after  date,  with  interest. 

AUG.  15 

Sold  H.  T.  Williams,  Jamestown,  goods  amounting  to  $340. 
Terms,  2/5,  n/60. 


170  STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH 

AUG.  19 

H.  T.  Williams  sends  in  payment  of  his  bill  a  promissory  note 
of  R.  T.  Leicester,  Albany,  $250,  payable  to  Williams  or  order 
at  Farmers  Bank,  Albany,  Aug.  20,  and  a  New  York  draft  of 
$83.20  to  balance,  both  instruments  being  deposited  as  cash  in 
Commercial  National  Bank. 

AUG.  22 

Commercial  National  Bank  returns  Leicester's  note  protested 
for  non-payment ;  expenses  of  protest  $1.52. 

AUG.  23 
Sold  H.  T.  Williams  goods  amounting  to   $644.95.    Terms, 

2  /          n/ 
/5>       /30« 

AUG.  26 

H.  T.  Williams  remits  for  bill  of  Aug.  23  and  for  Leicester's 
protested  paper,  with  expenses.  He  also  sends  $6.80,  discount 
heretofore  allowed  on  first  bill,  which  last  sum  is  at  once 
returned. 

I 

Write,  July  28,  1904,  as  Walter  Stillman  to  John  Chester  such 
a  letter  as  you  would  send  to  a  trusted  friend  with  whom  you 
wish  to  go  into  business.  This  letter  should  contain  about  125 
words. 

II 

Write  as  Chester  to  Stillman,  Aug.  4,  such  reply  as  might  be 
expected  from  a  warm  friend  who  favored  the  proposition  made, 
and  believed  that  he  might  accept  it.  Ask  the  necessary  questions 
about  the  business  and  the  capital  required. 

Ill 

Write,  Aug.  10,  Stillman's  reply  to  Chester's  questions  and  such 
other  matter  as  may  seem  necessary. 


STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH  171 

IV 

Draw  up,  in  simple  form  and  language,  articles  of  agreement  for 
the  copartnership  of  Stillman  &  Chester,  showing  proper  execution. 

V 

Write  an  attractive  circular  letter  to  be  sent  out  by  Stillman 
Chester  to  customers  of  the  old  firm  and  to  the  trade.  Call  attention 
to  the  long  and  successful  services  of  Stillman.  Write  also,  to 
accompany  this  circular,  a  letter  of  Breed  &  Foster,  cordially 
recommending  the  new  firm. 

VI 

Write  as  Stillman  &  Chester  to  H.  T.  Williams,  Aug.  23,  mention- 
ing protest  of  Leicester's  note  and  stating  what  has  been  done  about 
it.  Give  such  information  as  you  can  as  to  the  responsibility  of 
the  maker  of  the  note.  [Transactions  Aug.  19  and  22.] 


CHAPTER  XV 
DUTIES   OF    A   PRIVATE    SECRETARY 

To  describe  in  full  all  the  duties  of  a  private  secretary  would 
require  a  special  book  in  itself  for  the  reason  that  the  service  varies 
according  to  the  social,  business,  or  professional  position  of  the 
employer.  Although  the  groundwork  of  secretarial  duties  is  gen- 
erally uniform  there  is  much  variety  of  detail  required  to  meet 
the  peculiar  needs  of  the  railroad  president,  the  banker,  the  educa- 
tor, the  social  leader,  the  Congressman,  or  others.  Among  the 
almost  indispensable  qualifications  are  those  of  stenography,  type- 
writing, and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  English  composition.  Added 
to  this  should  be  a  good  knowledge  of  business-English  style  as 
represented  in  the  art  of  proof-reading  and  the  technique  of  dis- 
playing commercial  language  on  the  typewritten  or  printed  page. 
This  knowledge  of  form,  or  display,  is  indispensable  to  one  who 
has  to  construct  correspondence  or  to  prepare  manuscripts  for  the 
press.  A  knowledge  of  the  card-system  of  classifying  and  indexing 
information,  letters,  and  documents,  with  special  reference  to 
library  cataloguing,  is  also  of  great  service  in  handling  a  large 
correspondence.  It  may  be  said  with  truth  that  this  art  of  breaking 
up  and  sorting  letters  and  other  documents  for  reference  purposes 
according  to  subjects  is,  after  shorthand  and  typewriting,  the 
most  indispensable  qualification.  The  secretary  will  also,  of 
course,  supply  himself  with  proper  reference  books,  such  as  a 
first-class  encyclopedia,  railroad  and  steamship  time-tables, 
postal  information,  social  customs,  charities'  directory,  etc. 

It  frequently  happens  that  the  secretary  is  required  in  the 
absence  of  his  principal  to  transact  minor  business.  In  such  case 
he  may  have  to  assume  the  function  of  agent,  whose  acts  may  be 
binding  upon  the  one  he  represents.  Many  circumstances  might 
arise  where  he  would  be  in  doubt  how  to  act.  A  knowledge, 
therefore,  of  elementary  commercial  law  is  necessary,  with  special 
reference  to  domestic  service,  relation  of  buyer  and  seller,  bail- 
ments, contracts,  statute  of  limitations  in  the  various  States,  notes, 
and  indorsements.  An  elementary  commercial-law  textbook  is 
sufficient  for  this  purpose.  An  efficient  secretary  does  not  rely 

172 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


173 


on  his  employer  or  employer's  lawyers  for  advice  on  simple  business 
transactions.  His  competency  in  this  respect  is  assumed. 

The  keeping  of  household  accounts  is  sometimes  a  part  of  the 
private  secretary's  work,  including  a  cashbook  and  a  private  bank- 
account.  A  knowledge  of  how  to  keep  an  expense  account  is 
generally  sufficient  for  house-accounting.  Any  book  on  elementary 
bookkeeping  will  be  found  satisfactory  for  this  purpose. 

It  is  well  for  the  student  to  know  that  there  are  two  kinds  of  service, 
differing  materially.  One  is  that  of  the  man  of  business  strictly  ; 
the  other  that  of  the  man  of  leisure  or  professional  avocation. 
The  correspondence  of  the  former  is  generally  wholly  of  a  business 
type,  while  that  of  the  latter  is  mainly  literary  and  social  though 
containing  more  or  less  business  matter.  Business  information 
is  therefore  more  necessary  in  the  first  and  less  in  the  second. 
If  one  has  a  good  education  and  plenty  of  common  sense  the  private 
-secretary's  work  is  rather  easy,  as  the  service  of  one  employer 
differs  so  much  from  that  of  another  that,  the  groundwork  assured, 
previous  experience  is  not  always  essential. 

Summary  of  Secretary's  Duties 


To  read  all  communications, 
subject  to  employer's  restriction, 
such  exception  being  private  letters, 
bankers'  and  lawyers'  communica- 
tions, etc. 

Communications  should  be  ar- 
ranged on  the  desk  for  employer's 
inspection  in  the  order  of  their 
importance. 

Frequently  to  answer  unim- 
portant and  familiar  communica- 
tions on  his  own  responsibility. 

To  keep  the  details  of  previous 
correspondence  constantly  in  mind 
in  order  to  act  as  immediate 
reference  for  his  principal. 

To  answer  letters  from  mere 
direction  without  formality  of 
dictation.  This  composition  from 
incomplete  dictation  requires  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  grammar 
and  rhetoric. 

To  keep  a  card-indexing  and 
letter-filing  system  for  all  communi- 
cations, collections,  private  papers, 
bills,  libraries,  etc. 

To  be  familiar  with  the  keeping 


of  personal  house-keeping,  and 
private  cash-accounts,  and  others 
not  generally  kept  by4  office  clerks. 

To  be  able  to  advise  on  com- 
mercial law  covering  household 
affairs  and  transactions  in  simple 
business. 

Occasionally  to  substitute  for 
employer  in  business  transactions 
which  require  some  knowledge  of 
commercial  terms,  f  orms,and  usages. 

To  keep  well  informed  of  em- 
ployer's private  affairs  within  the 
secretary's  sphere  of  action ;  to 
keep  a  memorandum  in  card-index 
or  other  form  of  appointments, 
social  obligations,  etc. 

To  act  as  intermediary  with 
those  desiring  interview  with  princi- 
pal, and  to  understand  and  judi- 
ciously interpret  what  "  Not  at 
home  "  means. 

To  cultivate  the  habit  of  non- 
talkativeness,  even  with  employer  ; 
reserve  of  manner,  and  of  tact  and 
diplomacy  in  conversation  and 
correspondence. 


174 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS- ENGLISH 


The  secretary  may  at  times  be  required  to  act  as  cashier  and 
business  manager  of  the  household.  He  may  receive  at  somewhat 
regular  intervals  sufficient  cash  to  meet  probable  expenses.  This 
money  may  be  kept  on  hand  or  may  be  deposited  in  a  bank,  upon 
which  checks  may  be  drawn  by  the  secretary  by  virtue  of  a  power 
of  attorney. 

When  authorized  he  pays  out  cash  for  amusements,  traveling 
expenses,  reading-matter,  stationery,  wages,  or  any  other  usual 
household  expenses.  He  should  keep  a  strict  account  of  all  receipts 
and  payments  so  that  at  any  time  the  account  will  show  the  exact 
amount  of  cash  on  hand.  Such  record  is  kept  in  the  ordinary 
cashbook,  with  columns  ruled  like  those  on  following  page. 

For  the  purpose  of  understanding  how  to  make  entries  of  a  cash- 
account,  get  a  sheet  of  cashbook  paper  and  head  the  columns  as  in 
illustration  No.  1.  Assume  that  on  Oct.  2,  1913,  you  commence 
duties  as  private  secretary  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  George  Washing- 
ton Smith,  and  receive  $100  for  the  week's  expenses.  On  Oct.  2 
you  purchase  2  boxes  of  cigars  for  Mr.  Smith,  paying  $10.50.  On 
Oct.  3  you  pay  $8  for  4  theater  tickets  for  Mr.  Smith  and  family. 
On  Oct.  4  you  contribute  to  church  fair  $10.  Make  entries  for 
these  four  items  on  your  cash-page  exactly  as  shown  below  : 

Illustration  No.  i 

October,   1913 

DATE  EXPLANATIONS  RECEIPTS    PAYMENTS 


Oct. 

2. 

Received  check  from  Mr.  S.  for  expenses  .  . 

100 

00 

it 

2. 

Paid  for  2  boxes  cigars  for  Mr.  S.    .  . 

10 

50 

M 

3. 

Paid  for  4  theater  tickets  for  Mr.  S.  and 

family 

8 

00 

„ 

4. 

Gave  as  contribution  to  church  fair 

1000 

If  Mr.  Smith  desires  to  have  expenditures  classified  so  that  an 
account  may  be  kept  of  each  kind  then  the  foregoing  entries  would 
assume  the  following  form  : 


Illustration  No.  2 

October,   1912 


Oct. 

2. 

Mr.  G.  W.  Smith 

Rec'd  his  check  for  expenses 

100 

„ 

2. 

Cigars 

Paid  for  2  boxes  for  Mr.  S. 

10 

50 

tt 

3. 

Amusements 

Paid   for  4   theater   tickets 

8 



" 

4. 

Benevolence 

Contributed  to  church  fair 

10 

— 

STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


175 


The  following  shows  a  weekly  account  of  receipts  and  expenses, 
ruled  and  balanced.  The  red  line  of  words  shows  the  money  on 
hand  left  over  from  the  previous  week.  Notice  that  the  two 
columns  are  added  to  show  at  the  end  of  the  week  how  the  account 
stands.  The  balance  of  $198.39  is  carried  forward  to  the  date  of 
Monday  in  the  next  week. 


Illustration  No.  3 


410 

00 

297 

76 

Nov.     4. 

Balance—  In  Bank  $100  ;   on  hand  $12,24     .  . 

112 

24 

410 

00 

410 

00 

Nov.     6. 

Balance 

112 

24 

6. 

Received  check  ^£817  for  weekly  expenditures 

300  00 

6. 

Paid  for  2  boxes  cigars 

20 

00 

7. 

Purchased  Harper's  and  Century 

70 

7. 

Paid  stable  bill  for  October  by  check  .  . 

30 

00 

8. 

Paid  for  telegram  received 

40 

8. 

Paid  H.  D.'s  bill  for  repairing  chair 

2 

75 

8. 

Advanced  to  John  (the  butler)  on  his  wages 

3 

00 

8. 

Paid  garage  bill  for  October  by  check  .  . 

22 

00 

9. 

Paid  yearly  subscription  to  Colliers 

5 

00 

10. 

Gave  toward  support  of  People's  Hospital 

10 

00 

10. 

Purchased  5  theater  tickets  to  "  Hamlet  " 

10 

00 

11. 

Gave  check  for  yearly  dues  to  Civic  Club 

20 

00 

11. 

Purchased  2  N.  Y.  C.  mileage  books 

40 

00 

11. 

Paid  by  check  annual  sub.  to  St.  C.'s  Orphanage 

50 

00 

412 

24 

213 

85 

„       11. 

Balance  —  In  Bank  $178  ;   on  hand  $20.39     .  . 

198 

Vv) 

412 

24 

412 

24 

Nov.   13. 

Balance 

198 

39 

Make  a  transcript  of  the  account  above  according  to  the  classified 
form  in  Illustration  No.  2. 

Enter  in  cashbook  form,  properly  balanced,  the  following  receipts 
and  expenses  for  the  week  :  Dec.  4,  Cash  Balance  $58.40.  Received 
check  #748  for  $200  for  expenses  of  present  week.  Paid  for 
tuning  piano  $4.  Dec.  5.  Paid  by  check  bill  for  20  Welsbach 
burners  $30.  Paid  messenger  service  for  Nov.  by  check  $7.25. 
Dec.  6.  Made  the  following  purchases  :  5  Ibs.  Huyler's  candy 
$5,  1  doz.  bot.  wine  $18,  J-  dozen  boxes  cigars  $30,  100  two-cent 
stamps  $2.  Dec.  8.  Paid  for  pressing  suits  $6. 


176  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Secretary's  Narrative 

({The  following  essay  should  be  assigned  for  home-reading. 
In  class,  as  a  memory  and  a  composition  exercise, 
^pupils  should  be  required  to  rewrite  it.) 

Mr.  Henry  W.  Hallam,  of  1000  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York,  to  his 
secretary,  Mr.  William  Ramsey : 

Mr.  Ramsay,  to-night  I  have  to  address  the  Business  Men's  Club 
on  the  art  of  correspondence.     Please  write  these  remarks  : 

i  The  need  of  greater  efficiency  in  business  English  is  evident.  A  business 
letter  is  a  tool  with  which  to  effect  a  certain  result.  Its  parts  should  be 
like  those  of  a  well-adjusted  and  cared-for  machine  ;  for  if  the  parts  work 
in  harmony  a  perfect  product  results.  With  bad  construction  of  the 
machine — bad  joints,  flawey  material,  creaky  adjustments,  jerky  move- 
ments, sticky  bearings — the  finest  raw  material  is  wasted  and  distorted  and 
defaced.  The  same  holds  true  with  the  letter  that  is  intended  to  persuade. 
The  finest  thought  fails  in  best  effect  by  poorly  selected  words,  disorder  in 
presentation,  repetition,  squinting  constructions,  omissions,  bad  punc- 
tuation, and  haste.  The  too  frequent  conjunctions,  the  creaky  movement 
of  ideas,  the  jerky  punctuation  waste  and  obscure  the  thought,  destroy  the 
sense,  and  displease  the  reader. 

More  business  is  negotiated  by  letter  to-day  than  by  commercial  traveler  ; 
the  chief  correspondent  now  precedes  the  head  salesman.  At  one  time 
the  great  expense  was  for  carfare  and  hotel  ;  to-day  it  is  for  stenography, 
stamps,  and  stationery.  Is  it  not  then  wise  for  a  business  house  to  employ 
an  expert  in  correspondence  or  to  submit  its  methods  for  inspection  and 
,  improvement  ?  Is  not  expert  composition  more  persuasive  than  slovenly  ? 
How  few  business  houses  realize  that  the  two-cent  letter  is  meant  to  serve 
the  same  purpose  as  the  $200  page  ? 

Many  dictators  bolt  their  morning  correspondence  ;  others  chew  it 
lightly  ;  few  digest  it  well.  Some  splutter  in  dictation,  using  the  first 
words  that  come  ;  some  repeat  and  "  cut  out  "  and  misplace  and  need  to 
have  every  sentence  read  back  ;  while  others  shift  the  whole  burden 
of  composition  on  the  stenographer.  Only  a  few  refrain  from  composing 
until  the  thought  has  been  fully  revised  and  polished  in  the  mind.  Unlike 
others  they  remember  their  correspondence  of  the  day  before,  and  the  path 
least  frequented  in  their  office  is  the  path  that  leads  to  the  reference 
file.  These  men  are  a  joy  to  their  readers,  angels  to  their  secretaries, 
shekel-gatherers  to  their  house. 

Yet  how  simple  is  the  remedy  !  How  easily  may  the  halt  and  the  lame 
become  strong  !  How  great  the  economy  and  the  relief  that  spring  from 
such  reform  !  A  few  days'  study  of  the  relative  value  of  words,  of  their 
order  in  the  sentence,  of  their  persuasive  or  repellent  effect ;  of  brevity 
when  needed  ;  of  superfluity  never  ;  of  correctness  in  form,  directness  in 
appeal,  courtesy  and  refinement  in  tone — all  in  a  few  hours'  study  from  one 
who  knows  !  In  law,  the  sensible  man  seeks  an  expert's  advice  ;  in  illness, 
a  physician's  aid  ;  in  finance,  the  banker's  help  ;  in  real  estate,  that  of  the 
broker  ;  in  insurance,  of  an  expert ;  but  in  the  difficult  art  of  bringing  lan- 
guage to  its  highest  persuasive  effect  the  average  man  relies  upon  his  own 
untrained  and  impatient  style. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  177 


Now,  Mr.  Ramsey,  write  to  my  old  friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert 
Manning,  of  19  West  73d  St.,  New  York,  and  tell  them  I  shall  not 
be  able  to  dine  with  them  next  Friday.  Also  write  a  letter  of  accep- 
tance to  dinner  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Towne,  of  345  Madison 
Avenue,  New  York. 

(Student  to  write  these  social  letters.) 

Also,  please  write  to  my  bankers  to  send  me  by  messenger  a 
letter  of  credit  for  $10,000  on  London. 

Write  to  the  Secretary  of  State  of  the  United  States  and  inquire 
as  to  whether  the  present  political  situation  in  Colombia,  S.  A., 
would  permit  an  American  family  party  to  travel  there  without 
danger. 

(Student  to  write  this  official  letter.) 

Now,  Mr.  Ramsey,  my  sister,  Mrs.  L.  A.  Beal,  needs  a  young 
woman  as  social  secretary.  As  I  am  pleased  with  your  work 
I  should  be  glad  to  have  your  sister,  who  you  say,  is  also  com- 
petent, to  serve  mine.  Please  write  a  letter  of  application  in  her 
name,  stating  qualifications,  and  mention  the  duties  in  detail  which 
are  attached  to  such  post.  My  sister  has  never  had  a  private 
secretary ;  and  a  description  of  duties  would  probably  impress  her 
more  favorably  towards  the  applicant.  Use  the  duties  as  former 
secretary  to  Mrs.  C.  J.  Porter  for  material. 

(Student  to  fill  one  page  on  business  letter-head  sheet.) 

Review  Questions  for  Chapter  XV 

1  What  are  some  of  the  duties  of  a  private  secretary  ? 

2  How  should  a  private  secretary  prepare  himself  for  unexpected 
duties  ? 

3  What  two  kinds  of  service  are  there  ? 

4  What  qualities  of  character  should  a  private  secretary  possess  ? 

5  Write  a  paragraph  of  100  words  on  this  topic  :  "  The  Art  of 
Correspondence. ' ' 


CHAPTER  XVI 
SOME   HINTS   ON   THE   POST   OFFICE   SERVICE 

Address — -The    golden   rule    applicable    to    addressing    mail    is : 
"  Omit  nothing  and  write  plainly." 

Omissions  may  cause  delay — completeness,  never. 

Therefore  never  omit  : 

(a)  Street  and  number,  no  matter  how  well  known  the  addressee. 

(b)  Room  number  of  office  building. 

(c)  Sender's  name  and  full  address — the  return  card. 

(d)  Full   postage — and    affix   same   in   the   only   proper   place, 
exactly  in  the  upper  right-hand  corner  of  address  side,  being  careful 
that  the  gum  is  not  washed  off  in  moistening,  and  also  that  the 
stamps  are  not  insufficiently  moistened. 

(e)  Never  address  to  a  street  corner  when  exact  street  number 
can  as  well  be  given. 

The  address,  as  the  most  important  part  of  a  letter  should  be  written 
with  the  greatest  care  and  caution. 

Return  Card — The  public  would  do  well  to  acquire  the  habit  of 
thinking  an  article  incompletely  prepared  for  mailing  until  the 
return  card — name  and  full  address  of  sender — appears  upon  it. 
Thousands  of  letters — and  dollars — are  annually  lost  through 
this  negligence. 

Registered  Mail  is  delivered  to  addressee  only,  unless  a  written 
order,  empowering  the  bearer  to  sign  for  and  receive  registered 
mail,  signed  by  addressee,  is  produced,  or  on  file  at  the  post-office. 
Where  there  are  no  secrets  to  be  bared,  or  fraud  to  be  feared, 
delays  may  be  avoided  by  leaving  such  written  order  in  the  home  or 
office  with  a  trusted  person,  even  though  no  registered  mail  is 
expected.  "  The  unexpected  happens." 

Special  delivery  mail,  undeliverable  on  first  trial  by  special 
messenger,  becomes  ordinary  mail.  It  maybe  well  to  know  that  in 
urgent  cases,  where  address  is  in  doubt,  or  forwarding  may  probably 
be  necessary,  two  special  delivery  stamps  will  make  assurance 
doubly  sure  by  prepaying  special  delivery  service  to  the  first,  as 
well  as  to  the  corrected,  address.  Attention  should  be  directed 
to  the  extra  stamp  by  such  words  as  :  "  Fee  for  two  trials  prepaid." 

The  "  Special  Delivery  Stamp "  is  surest.  Ordinary  postage 
stamps  should  be  used  in  an  extremity  only  to  prepay  special 
delivery  fee,  and  then  the  words  "  Special  Delivery  "  cannot  be 
often  or  too  prominently  written  on  address  side.  Ordinary 
stamps,  without  these  words,  will  not  purchase  special  delivery 

178 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  179 


service,  no  matter  how  much  postage  is  affixed ;  and  unless  they  are 
the  most  conspicuous  part  of  the  address,  are  easily  overlooked 
by  the  distributing  clerk. 

A  simple  way  to  prove  identity  for  money  orders  or  registered 
letters  is  the  following  :  Secure  from  the  person  who  is  to  receive 
money  orders  or  registered  letters,  his  signature  on  a  slip  or  slips 
of  paper.  In  the  case  of  a  money  order,  this  signature  should  be 
given  to  the  money  order  clerk  along  with  the  application.  The 
clerk  will  attach  it  to  the  advice  (duplicate  of  the  money  order)" 
and  send  it  to  the  postmaster  of  the  office  on  which  the  order  is 
drawn.  To  cash  the  money  order,  it  will  merely  be  necessary  to 
duplicate  the  signature — a  perfect  identification. 

Postal  Points 

1  Any  matter  containing  writing,  whether  sealed  or  unsealed, 
is  subject  to  first-class  rates. 

2  Don't  try  to  send  mail  C.  O.  D.     Always  prepay  full  postage ; 
otherwise   mail   is   delayed  until   correct   postage   has  been   paid 
by  either  sender  or  addressee.     If  inadvertently  sent  on,  double 
the  deficiency  is  collected  from  addressee  in  many  cases. 

3  Internal  revenue  stamps,  postage-due   stamps  and  stamps 
cut  out  of  U.  S.  stamped  envelopes  or  postal  cards  are  not  good 
for  postage. 

4  Mutilated  or  defaced  stamps,  or  stamps  partly  overlapped 
or  covered  by  other  stamps,  are  not  accepted  for  postage. 

5  In  affixing  stamps,  to  avoid  their  loss  use  neither  too  little 
nor  too  much  moisture. 

6  In  writing  address,  observe  the  golden  rule  :    Omit  nothing 
and  write  plainly. 

7  (a)  The  special  delivery  fee  is  10  cents  in  addition  to  the 
regular  postage,     (b)  The  registry  fee  is  10  cents  in  addition  to  the 
regular  postage. 

8  Do  not  drop  in  mail-box,  but  present^ in  person  at  post-office  : 

(a)  All  articles  that  are  to  be  registered." 

(b)  All  parcel-post  packages. 

9  The  letter  rate  to  foreign  countries  is  now  :  Five  cents  for 
the  first  (full)  ounce  and  3  cents  for  every  additional  (full)  ounce, 
except  to  Great  Britain,  when  letter  package  is  2  cents  per  ounce, 
likewise  to  Germany  when  sent  on  German  vessels. 

10  Two  or  three  days  before  removing  from  one  address  to 
another,  ask  the  postman  for  a  "  change-of- address  "  card.  Fill 
out  carefully, — it  will  come  back  to  you  unless  correct  in  all  particu- 
lars,— mention  all  former  addresses  within  the  preceding  twelve 
months,  and  give  to  carrier  or  throw  into  mail-box. 


180 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Postal  Information 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  principal  points  on  which  pupils  should 
be  informed.  Complete  information  would  occupy  too  much  space 
in  a  book  of  this  kind.  The  teacher  is  therefore  earnestly  requested 
to  see  that  each  pupil  provides  himself  with  the  pamphlet  entitled 
"  Postal  Information."  This  may  be  obtained  free  by  addressing 
The  Honorable,  The  Postmaster  General,  Washington,  D.  C. 

The  teacher  should  not  rely  upon  the  pupils'  willingness  to  extract 
this  knowledge,  but  should,  by  frequent  informal  talks,  bring  out 
the  points  particularly  essential  to  the  occasion. 


Domestic  Mail  Matter  : 

Additions  and  enclosures  permitted 

Address  : 

Care  to  be  exercised  in  writing 
In  care  of  a  second  person 

Private  mailing  cards 

Stamped  envelopes 

Advertising  cards,  folded 

Blind,  letters  and  reading  matter  for 
the 

Books 

Postage  rates 

Carbon  copies 

Circulars 

Classification  of  mail 

Collection  of  mail 

Complaints    regarding    mail    matter 

Dead  mail  matter 

Defamatory  matter,  unmailable 

Delivery  of  mail 

Fees,  money  order 

Classification  of  matter 

Special  delivery  service 

General  delivery  of  mail 

Husband  or  wife,  mail  for 

Identification    of   persons : 
Applying  for  registered  mail 
Presenting  money  orders  for  pay- 
ment 

Indemnity  for  lost  registered  mail 

International  money  orders 

Library  books 

Limit  of  weight  of  mail  matter 

Liquids,   liquors 

Lost  mail,  indemnity  for  registered 

Lottery  and  fraud  matter,   unmail- 
able 

Minors,   mail  for 

Miscellaneous   information 

Money  order  system 

Lost  orders 

Payment  and  repayment 


Obscene    and    indecent   matter, 

unmailable 

Overweight  matter,  unmailable 
Periodical    publications 
Postage-due   stamps 
Postage  not  prepaid 
Postage  stamps 
Mutilated  or  defaced 
Not  sold  on  credit 
Overlapping 
Private  mailing  cards 
Postal  cards 
Postal  savings  system 
Post-office  boxes 
Proof-sheets,  corrections  in 
Public  library  books 
Redemption  : 

Postage  stamps 

Postal  cards 

Stamped    envelopes 
Registry   system  : 

Delivery  of  mail 

Fee 

Forwarding    mail 

Identification  of  persons  applying 
for  mail 

Indemnity  for  lost  mail 

Recall  of  mail 

Requirements  for  registration 

Return  receipts 

Stamp,  special 

Undelivered  registered   mail 
Reproduction  or  imitation  of  hand- 
writing 
Return   cards 
Return  of  mail  matter 
Rural  delivery 
Special  delivery  service 
Stamped    envelopes 
Stamped  newspaper  wrappers 
Typewriting,  carbon  and  letter-press 
copies 


STYLE-BOOK    OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


181 


Undelivered  mail 

Unmailable  matter 

Overweight  matter,   unmailable 

Wrapping  of  mail  matter 

Foreign  Mail  Matter 

Additions  and   enclosures  permitted 

Classification   of  mail   matter 

Commercial  papers 

Customs   duties 

Forwarding 

Merchandise,   samples  of 

Miscellaneous   conditions 

Money  order  system,  international 

Parcel  post : 

Admissible  matter 

Dimensions  of  parcels 

Letters  prohibited 


Place  of  mailing 

Rates  of  postage 

Registration 

Limit  of  weight  and  value 
Postage  due 

Postal  cards,   international 
Post  cards 
Printed  matter 
Prohibited  articles 
Rates  of  postage 
Parcel  post 
Registered  matter 
Samples  of  merchandise 
Unmailable  (prohibited)  articles 
Weight  and  dimensions  of  parcels 
Wrapped    securely 


Abbre< 

Ala.  
Alaska  
Ariz. 

Nations  of  the  1 

Alabama 
Alaska  Territory 
Arizona 
Arkansas 
California 
Colorado 
Connecticut 
Delaware 
District  of  Colum- 
Florida            [bia 
Georgia 
Hawaii  Territory 
Illinois 
Indiana 
Kansas 
Kentucky 
Louisiana 
Maryland 
Massachusetts 
Michigan 
Minnesota 
Mississippi 
Missouri 
Montana 

Post-  Office 

Nebr.  _ 

Nev.  
N.  H. 

Department 

Nebraska 
Nevada 
New  Hampshire 
New  Jersey 
New  Mexico 
New  York 
North  Carolina 
North  Dakota 
Oklahoma 
Pennsylvania 
Philippine  Islands 
Porto  Rico 
Rhode  Island 
South  Carolina 
South  Dakota 
Tennessee 
Texas 
Vermont 
Virginia 
Washington 
West  Virginia 
Wisconsin 
Wyoming 

Ark. 

N.  J. 

Cal. 

N.  Mex. 

Colo. 

N.  Y. 

Conn.  
Del.  
D.  C  
Fla.  
Ga.  
Hawaii 

N.  C  
N.  Dak.  __ 
Okla.  
Pa  
P.  I  
P.  R. 

111. 

R  I 

Ind  
Kans.  _ 

S.  C  
S.  Dak. 

Ky. 

Tenn 

La  

Md. 

Tex.  

Vt 

Mass.  
Mich.  
Minn.  
Miss. 

Va  
Wash  
W.  Va.  ___ 
Wis 

Mo. 

Wyo.  

Mont. 

Alaska,  Hawaii,  Guam,  Idaho,  Iowa,  Maine,  Ohio,  Oregon, 
Samoa,  and  Utah  are  not  abbreviated. 


182  STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Review  Questions  for  Chapter  XVI 

1  What  is  the  golden  rule  for  addressing  mail  ? 

2  What  is  meant  by  a  registered  letter  ?     By  special  delivery  ? 
By  money  order  ?     By  parcel  post  ?     By  return  card  ? 

3  What  is  the  most  important  part  of  any  letter  ?     Why  ? 

4  On  what  conditions  is  registered  mail  delivered  to  some  one 
other  than  the  addressed  ? 

5  How  may  you  assure  the  delivery  of  a  "  special  delivery  " 
letter  ? 

6  How  can  one  prove  identity  for  money  orders  or  registered 
letters  ? 

7  What  is  first-class  matter  ? 

8  What  kinds  of  stamps  are  not  good  for  postage  ? 

9  How  should  stamps  be  affixed  to  a  letter  ? 

10  What  is  the  letter-rate  to  foreign  countries  ? 

11  What    pamphlet    gives    complete    information    on    postal 
matters  ?     How  may  it  be  obtained  ? 

12  How      does      one      abbreviate      Colorado  ?      Wyoming  ? 
Nebraska  ? 


CHAPTER   XVII 

THE    TELEGRAPH    SERVICE— TELEGRAMS, 
CABLEGRAMS,    AND    MARCONIGRAMS 

THE  recent  cheapening  of  cost  has  caused  direct  electric  communi- 
cation to  be  used  much  more  than  was  the  case  formerly.  Its  use  is- 
no  longer  considered  luxurious  or  for  extreme  necessity  only.  Cable 
tolls  have  been  decreased  fifty  per  cent. ;  the  wireless  method  is  reason- 
able in  price,  while  by  land  telegraph  a  night-letter  of  fifty  words,  ex- 
cluding address  and  signature,  may  be  sent  for  twenty-five  cents.  The 
same  charge  is  made  for  less  than  ten  words  as  for  ten  ;  for  more 
than  ten,  so  much  a  word.  A  day-letter  of  fifty  words  may  be  sent 
for  one  and  one-half  the  cost  of  a  ten-word  message.  There  is  no 
charge  for  the  address  of  the  person  telegraphed  to.  Cable  letters 
cost  $1.50  for  twenty  words. 

As  the  use  of  lettergrams  is  now  common  the  work  of  condensing 
into  telegraphic  form  falls  upon  the  stenographer. 

The  following  points  should  be  observed  : 

Write  briefly,  but  be  sure  to  be  clear. 

Use  no  salutation,  expression  of  politeness,  or  complimentary 
close. 

Parts  of  speech  not  necessary  to  sense  may  be  left  out ;  as, 

(The)  house  refuses  (to)  pay  $1  (for)  delivery  (of)  July  wheat." 
The  words  in  parentheses  should  be  omitted. 

Never  divide  a  word  in  a  telegram. 

Compound  words  are  accepted  as  one  word  ;  as,  to-day,  foot-note, 
etc. 

Use  no  punctuation  points,  decimal  points,  or  hyphens,  as  they 
are  charged  for  at  word-rates. 

In  ordinal  numbers,  as  14th,  95th,  etc.,  the  affixes  "  st,"  "  d," 
and  "  th  "  are  counted  as  extra  words.  Therefore,  spell  out  all 
numbers. 

A  few  abbreviations  (and  some  corruptions)  are  accepted  as  one 
word  ;  as,  a.m.  for  a.  m.,  p.m.  for  p.  m.,  fob  for  f.  o.  b.,  cod  for 
C.  O.  D.,  cif  for  c.  i.  f.  Per  cent.,  O.  K.,  cwt.  and  alright  (for  all 
right)  are  accepted  as  one  word. 

There  is  more  restriction  in  cablegrams.  A  word  of  more 
than  fifteen  letters  is  charged  as  two.  To  escape  heavy  charges 
many  houses  have  what  is  called  a  code,  that  is,  a  number  of  words, 
each  of  which  means  a  whole  phrase  or  even  a  whole  sentence. 
For  instance,  "  Japapco "  may  mean  "  Japan  Paper  Co."  Or 
"  Information  "  may  mean  "  Load  ship  completely  and  sail  at 

183 

13— (400) 


> 

0) 

z 

1" 

• 

Q. 

_^ 

Q 

^^^ 

J 

^M 

a 

O 

I 

o 

u 

X 

l_ 

I 

J       fc 

Q. 

J 

« 

M 
o 

CD 

DC 

6 

c 

I 

U 

rH 

0 

5 

1 

g 

^ 

LJ 

BE 

c 

• 

-Jf 

U 

.  to 

0 

CO 

3 

TJ 

•JJ  ' 

III 

C 

•  j 

cd 

0 

j 

•  ^ 

•M 

-p 

O  Q 

« 

a  w 

Z| 

1 

^ 

p 

O| 

« 

a 

O 

- 

o 

10 

Z 

O 

h 
a 
u 

ex? 

D 

E 

• 

i 

®            rH 
°6         ° 

s 

+343             H-l 

^ 

h 

*d 

Oi^ 

DC 
LJ 

z 

(0 

u 

THOS. 

5 
£ 

1 

•^co           ^ 

h 

o 
E 

™2       S 

0) 

i 

0 

1*     ^ 

LJ 

§ 

yg 

^ 

q 

£"i 

^ 

M 

s<« 

LJ 

6 

CQ 

ag 

s« 

X 

h 

Receiver' 

ol    P 

z§ 

111 

(0 

0 

10 

TJ 

0 

-P 

H 

{H 

-P 

CO 

•H 

a 

^ 
O 

erf     a 

Oi      CO 

0 

0 

O 

0 

0 

P 

•H 

p 

Fn 

CO 

Cf_l 

OJ 

od 

rj 

£* 

cj_i 

10 

o 

a 

rH 

o 

_M 

o 

—  -H 

?H 

•H 
P 

O 

•H 

0 

>H 

p 

bD 

(K^{ 

p 

0 

erf 

O 

erf 

ft 

o 

0 

0 

0 

0 

a 

o 

•H 

•H 

^ 

0 

CD 

0 

0 

CQ 

£ 

£j 

0 

0 

•H 

•H 

P 

P 

erf 

O 

S 

£H 

rH 

^ 

•H 

!>5 

P 

ft 

0 

Cf_| 

erf 

CO 

a 

0 

•d 

O 

H 

0 

•H 

o 

o 

0 

? 

o 

0 

•H 

£> 

P 

•H 

rH 

rj 

0 

rH 

O 

0 

O 

Crf 

0 

K*5 

0 

^cj 

X 

•H 

^ 

« 

OQ 

0 

* 

Crf 

STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  185 


once."  The  agent  of  the  house  in  a  foreign  land  has  a  copy  of  this 
code,  so  that  by  selecting  the  code  words  for  certain  ideas  he  may 
in  a  very  few  words  send  what  practically  amounts  to  a  long 
dispatch.  Any  words  are  suitable  for  a  code,  as  for  instance : 

Queso.  Buy  and  charge  to  our  account. 

Fulsom.  Delivery  to  be  made  at  once. 

Titanic.  Reserve  accommodations  for. 

Prolixim.  Wait  for  a  higher  market. 

Jonkerny.  John  Wanamaker,  New  York. 

Cablegrams  cost  several  times  a  word  more  than  telegrams,  in 
some  cases  being  as  high  as  two  dollars  a  word.  The  saving, 
therefore,  made  by  using  a  code  is  apparent. 

Wireless  Telegraphy 

Wireless  telegraphy,  daily  increasing  in  use,  largely  follows  the 
methods  of  cable  and  telegraph  companies.  The  cable  and  the 
wireless  system  of  charging  and  counting  are  alike,  that  is,  the 
address  and  the  signature  are  counted  and  charged  for. 

The  rate  for  messages  from  one  ship  to  another  is  16  cents  a 
word.  The  charge  for  messages  sent  from  ship  to  shore  is  20  cents 
per  word  plus  land-telegraph  charges. 

Marconigrams  for  transmission  from  the  United  States  to  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  are  accepted  at  all  inland  offices  of  the 
Western  Union  Telegraph  Company,  the  Postal  Telegraph  Cable 
Company,  and  the  Great  North- Western  Telegraph  Company. 
The  established  rules  and  regulations  governing  the  method  of 
counting  and  charging  of  cable  messages  are  applicable  to 
marconigrams.  The  rate  for  marconigrams  is  at  present  much 
less  than  the  cable  companies'  rates. 

Several  acts  of  service  given  by  cable  and  telegraph  are  not 
performed  by  wireless  methods,  such  as  sending 
Message  with  answer  prepaid. 
Money  order  telegrams. 
Message  calling  for  its  repetition. 
Message  calling  for  acknowledgment  of  receipt. 
Message  to   be   forwarded    (if   person   addressed   is    not 
found  at  address  given^. 


186  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

Urgent  message  (subject  to  provisions  of  the  International 
Telegraph  Regulations). 

Message  to  be  delivered  by  express  or  mail. 
The  wireless  companies  give  the  same  security  for  delivery  and 
compensation  for  errors  as  are  afforded  by  the  telegraph  and  the 
cable  companies. 

For  filling  out  marconigram  blanks  use  the  same  directions 
given  for  those  of  land  and  cable  companies. 

For  complete  information  on  radio  communication,  write  to  the 
United  States  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor  for  pamphlet 
on  "  Instructions  for  Radio  Communication/' 

Review  Questions  for  Chapter  XVII 

1  Does  a  telegram  have  a  title,  a  salutation,  a  complimentary 
close  ? 

2  Mention  some  points  to  be  observed  in  sending  telegrams. 

3  How  long  must  a  word  be  before  it  is  counted  as  two  wrords  ? 

4  What  is  meant  by  a  code  ?     What  purpose  does  it  serve  ? 

5  What  are  some  of  the  rules  that  govern  the  transmission  of 
marconigrams  ? 

Exercises 

1  Compose  from  the  following  a  ten- word  telegram  :  "  A  New 
York  firm  cables  to  its  London  buyer  to  exercise  great  care  in 
selecting  silk  goods,  as  the  firm  has  received  information  to  the 
effect  that  the  stock  offered  in  London  is  suspicious  in  texture  and 
that  he  should  not  buy  unless  at  very  low  prices." 

2  Write  a  telegram  of  ten  words  to  the  American  Theater,  New 
York,  to  reserve  five  box-seats  for  Shylock,  April  23 ;    also  for 
Macbeth  matinee,  April  29. 

3  Write  a  telegram,  with  carbon  copy,  of  twenty-five  words  to 
be  extracted  from  the  following  narrative  : 

On  account  of  damage  to  paper  stock  in  our  bindery  and  the 
general  confusion  resulting  from  a  fire  we  are  not  able  to  forward  the 
press-proofs  of  your  book.  To  help  us  out,  however,  we  have 
sublet  a  part  of  the  work,  and  hope  to  be  able  to  have  at  least  half 
the  material  again  out  of  the  press  within  three  weeks.  We  admit 
the  responsibility  and  will  accept  the  penalty  for  our  failure  to  fill 
the  contract  terms 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  187 


4  Write   a  wireless   message   of   12   words   from   the   steamer 
Montauk  to  the  Baltimore  (Md.)   Singing  Society,  Wm.  Marion, 
City  Hall,  President.     Announce  that  you  have  secured  the  famous 
tenor  Cadori  for  your  concert  on  May  15. 

5  You  have  just  learned  of  the  untrust worthiness  of  your  em- 
ployee,  Thomas  M.   Snow,   who  represents  you  in   your  line   of 
Majestic   Shoes  in   the   West.     Prepare   a  brief  telegram,   to   be 
sent  to  ten  customers,  warning  them  not  to  accept  Snow's  repre-~ 
sentations.     Also  announce  that  a  new  sales  agent   will   take  his 
place  immediately. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
FILING    AND    INDEXING 

THE  lessons  in  card-indexing  and  letter-filing  should  be  given  in 
lecture  form  by  actual  demonstration.  Following  this  the  pupils 
should  be  required  to  answer  the  questions  orally  or  in  writing  or 
to  go  to  the  cabinets  and  give  practical  exhibition. 

The  duty  of  the  stenographer  or  correspondent  does  not  end 
with  the  writing  of  the  letter.  He  must  know  each  step  in  the 
process  of  correspondence  from  the  dictation  of  outgoing  letters 
to  the  final  disposition  of  those  that  arrive.  The  subject-matter 
for  dictation  is  frequently  drawn  from  letters,  cards,  and  other 
documents  already  in  their  respective  files.  Ready  access  to  these 
papers  is  indispensable  to  speed  and  accuracy  in  correspondence. 
The  busy  dictator  must  not  be  obliged  to  leave  his  desk  to  seek 
the  information  needed  nor  to  return  it  when  used  ;  to  get  this 
material  is  a  function  of  an  assistant.  Not  to  be  able  to  do  so 
classifies  him  as  partly  incompetent  in  his  chosen  work. 

When  it  is  considered  that  nearly  every  office  has  a  system  of 
letter-filing  and  card- indexing,  and  that  to  manipulate  this  device 
is  often  the  work  of  the  stenographer  or  typewriter,  it  is  not  remark- 
able that  so  much  attention  is  given  to  it  in  commercial  education  ; 
and  the  necessity  of  the  study  is  clearly  shown  by  the  fact  that  for 
years  the  Regents  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York 
have  incorporated  it  into  their  commercial  examinations. 

The  lessons  in  letter-filing  and  card-indexing  are  the  result  of 
studying  the  Regents'  questions  for  the  past  ten  years  for  the 
purpose  of  building  a  course  sufficiently  comprehensive  to  convey 
a  working  knowledge  of  the  system  and  to  pass  State  or  other 
educational  examinations. 

188 


STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH  189 


Introduction 

All  office  systems  which  have  to  do  with  the  filing  of  correspondence  and 
other  business  papers,  the  writing  up  of  records  of  various  kinds,  including 
ledger  accounts,  record  of  customers,  card-filing  systems,  etc.,  can  be  grouped 
into  two  classes  : 

Record-keeping  systems  ; 

Record-filing  systems. 

By  record-keeping  is  meant  the  classifying  of  transcribed  information  ; 
that  is,  the  indexing  of  card  forms  bearing  information  that  has  been  taken 
from  letters  or  other  papers.  This  transcribed  information,  of  course,  may 
be  placed  on  cards  or  loose  leaves,  or  in  bound  books  or  in  various  other  ways. 

Record-filing  refers  to  the  indexing  of  papers  and  other  records  that  do  not 
have  to  be  transcribed,  but  may  be  filed  away  in  the  original  form  in  which 
they  are  received.  Ordinary  correspondence,  such  as  letters  received  and 
copies  of  replies,  are  included  in  this  class. 

The  information  that  is  written  up  in  books  or  on  card  forms  is  termed 
transcribed  information  ;  and  the  records  bearing  this  information  have  to 
be  classified  and  indexed  just  the  same  as  original  papers,  though  not  always 
by  the  same  method. 

There  are  many  different  ways  of  indexing  papers  and  records  of  all 
kinds  ;  namely,  alphabetical,  numerical,  by  date,  by  subject,  by  location, 
and  so  on.  All  these  different  methods,  however,  may  be  grouped  into  three 
classes  : 

By  names  of  firms  and  individuals  ; 

By  location  or  towns  ; 

By  subjects. 

Numerical  indexing  is  accomplished  by  assigning  numbers  to  names  of 
firms  and  individuals  and  keeping  an  index  to  these  numbers  alphabetically 
in  a  book  or  by  a  card-system.  Numbers  may  likewise  be  assigned  to  towns 
or  to  subjects.  The  term  "  numerical  indexing  "  is  not  a  separate  method  in 
itself  but  is  based  on  one  of  the  fundamental  ways. 

To  index  by  the  first  method,  alphabetical  indexes  are  generally  used  ; 
for  the  second  method,  State  and  town  indexes  and  sometimes  street  indexes 
are  used  ;  for  the  third,  index-guides  bearing  the  names  of  special  articles  or 
topics. 


QUESTIONS 

What    do   you    understand    by  What  does  the  term  "  record- 

the  term  "office  system  "  ?  filing  "  mean  ? 

Into  what  two  general  classes  Name    the    three    fundamental 

can  all  office  systems  be  grouped  ?  ways     of     indexing     papers     and 

Give  a  definition  of  the  term  records. 

"  transcribed  information  "  as  it  is  Describe     numerical     indexing, 

used    with     reference     to    record-  Into    which    of    the    three    funda- 

keeping  methods.  mental  groups  does  it  fall  ? 


190 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Sectional  Filing-Cabinet  made  up  of  separate  units  or  sections  of  uniform 
width  and  depth,  and  forming  a  complete  cabinet  in  one   piece 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  191 


Record-Keeping  and  Record-Filing  Systems 

The  illustration  represents  a  stack  of  sectional  filing  cabinets.  By 
"  sectional  "  is  meant  the  method  of  constructing  cabinets  in  units  or  sections, 
each  unit  being  of  a  uniform  width  and  depth  so  as  to  fit  together  one  above 
another,  and  forming  in  appearance  a  complete  cabinet  in  one  piece. 

In  the  illustration  is 

1  top  section.  the  Shannon  system  or  arch 

method  of  filing,  one  for  the 

1  card  section  for  5x3  cards  flat,  or  loose-leaf  method,  and 

containing  5  drawers  (1  drawer  one  plain  box  drawer). 

fitted  with  flat  rod,   1  drawer 

with  round  rod,  and  3  drawers  1    vertical   section   containing   two 

rodless).  drawers. 

1-3  drawer-filing    section    contain-  1  leg  base  section, 

ing    three    drawers    (one    for 

Drawer  No.  I.  Correspondence  Index.  Contains  a  set  of  alphabetical 
guides  (  ^r  40  subdivisions)  and  500  cards  (correspondence  form  of  ruling). 
Tiiis  drawer  constitutes  a  numerical  index  to  the  vertical  filing-system. 

Drawer  No.  2.  Label  this  drawer  "  Follow-up."  It  contains  a  set  of 
alphabetical  guides  (  ~j~j~  80  subdivisions)  and  500  printed  cards,  the  cards  being 
the  form  illustrated  on  page  184,  and  100  of  the  small  metal  tabs  to  cross-index 
the  cards  by  date. 

Drawer  No.  3.  Labeled  "Quotations  Given  and  Received."  It  contains 
a  set  of  alphabetical  guides  (  ~f-f-  25  subdivisions)  and  500  printed  cards  for 
recording  quotations  given  and  a  set  of  +f  25  subdivisions  and  500  printed 
cards  for  quotations  received; 

Drawer  No.  4.  Labeled  "  Stock  Record  "  and  contains  50  index-guides 
bearing  the  names  of  articles,  such  as  Brass,  Castings,  Hammers,  Pliers,  etc., 
and  500  cards  for  keeping  a  record  of  stock.  There  is  also  in  this  drawer  a 
catalogue  index  by  dealers  and  articles  with  suitable  printed  cards. 

Drawer  No.  5.  This  drawer  is  to  be  labeled  "  Ledger  Accounts."  It 
contains  the  proper  index-guides  and  cards  for  the  keeping  of  ledger  accounts. 

The  Shannon  section  contains  in  the  first  drawer  an  index  printed  A  to  Z 
for  the  filing  of  correspondence.  The  drawer  is  to  be  labeled  "Letters."  The 
second  drawer  of  the  section  will  be  labeled  "  Orders,"  and  is  to  contain  a 
loose-sheet  index,  or  flat  index,  and  the  third  drawer  is  to  be  labeled 
"  Samples." 

The  Vertical  section  is,  in  the  first  drawer,  to  contain  the  label  "  Alphabet- 
ical-Numerical," and  in  the  second  drawer  one  "  Geographical-Subject." 

The  samples  in  these  two  drawers  illustrate  practically  every  method  of 
filing  correspondence — numerical,  alphabetical,  geographical,  and  subject. 


192 


STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Relative  sizes  of  cards.     There  are  three  stock  sizes  of  cards,  namely, 
5x3,  6x4,  and  8x5 


STYLE-BOOK    OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  193 


The  Card-System—Sizes  of  Cards 

The  card-system  may  be  described  as  a  method  of  keeping  records  on 
cards  of  uniform  size  and  thickness  filed  on  edge  in  a  card-drawer  indexed 
by  guide-cards. 

The  cards  are  made  in  three  standard  sizes,  the  smallest  5*  wide  by  3' 
high  ;  medium  size  6"  wide  by  4"  high,  and  largest  8*  wide  by  5*  high,  as  the 
illustration  on  the  previous  page  shows. 

Card-systems  involving  the  smallest  size  of  card  (5"  x  3")  are  generally 
used  for  such  purposes  as  lists  of  customers,  names  and  addresses,  indexes  to 
ledgers  and  other  records,  indexes  to  libraries,  etc.  The  medium  size  (6*  x 
4")  is  largely  in  use  for  records  of  more  importance,  such  as  follow-up  sys- 
tems, sales  records,  records  of  employees,  records  of  stock,  and  so  on.  The 
largest  size  (8*  x  5")  is  in  most  general  use  for  customers'  ledgers,  the  large 
stock-systems,  cost-records,  and  the  more  important  systems  generally. 

Cards  are  sometimes  used  without  ruling  or  printing  ;  sometimes  they  are 
merely  ruled  horizontally,  as  the  illustration  shows,  and  again  they  may  be 
printed  as  shown  on  pages  182  and  184. 

Cards  are  now  being  used  for  nearly  every  record-keeping  method  for 
which  books  were  formerly  used  exclusively.  The  system  possesses  many 
advantages  over  books,  the  principal  one  of  which  may  be  said  to  be  the 
separation  of  "  open  "  and  "  closed  "  items.  The  cards  bearing  old  or 
useless  information  may  be  instantly  removed  from  the  card-drawer  and  cards 
for  new  matter  can  be  conveniently  inserted  at  any  part  without  disturbing 
the  plan  of  classification. 

Another  advantage  no  less  important  is  that  a  card-record  is  continuous  ; 
that  is,  it  does  not  become  full  as  a  bound  book  does,  so  that  a  new  book  must 
be  opened  periodically  with  more  or  less  rewriting  ot  records.  The  card- 
system  may  be  extended  indefinitely  :  it  is  brought  down  to  date  every  time 
an  old  card  is  taken  out  and  a  new  one  inserted. 


QUESTIONS 

Name  the  three  standard  sizes  What  is  the  common  use  for  the 

of  cards.  5x3  size  ?     For  the  6x4  size  ? 

For  the  8  x  5  size  ? 
Can  more  than  one  size  of  card 

be  used  in  the  same  drawer  ?  Name  some  advantages  of  the 

card-system  over  the  bound-book 

In   how   many   different   forms  or  loose-leaf  method, 

(printing  or  ruling)   may  cards  be 
secured  ? 


194 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


1  CUT 


CUT 


r 


'A  CUT 


'/4  CUT 


'/5  CUT 


Cuts  or  extensions  of  Index-Guides.     These  are  the  standard  cuts,  but 
"  special  "  cuts  are  occasionally  used 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  195 


The  Card-System — Index-Guides 

To  facilitate  the  handling  of  cards  it  is  necessary  to  separate  them  with 
index-guides.  These  are  cards  of  the  same  size  of  heavier  material  bearing 
extensions  or  projections  on  the  upper  edge.  These  extensions  are  furnished 
in  different  widths. 

For  the  sake  of  brevity  all  indexes  are  termed  "  guides  "  whether  used 
in  a  card -system  or  a  vertical  letter  system.  When  the  cards  bear  projections  . 
at  the  top  they  are  termed  "  tabs."  When  the  guides  bear  projections  they 
are  termed  "  extensions."  Guides  are  furnished  with  extensions  blank  and 
printed.  The  former  are  termed  blank  guides  and  are  not  made  in  sets  as 
printed  guides,  but  may  be  procured  in  any  quantity,  whether  5,  50,  100,  or 
1,000. 

When  a  card-system  is  indexed  alphabetically  it  means  that  the  cards  are 
separated  by  guides  with  alphabetical  subdivisions  printed  on  the  extensions. 
This  is  also  true  of  geographical  and  subject-indexing.  These  index-guides 
are  made  in  regular  sets,  the  smallest  arrangement  of  alphabetical  guides 
being  termed  the  No.  25  set.  This  means  there  are  25  guides  to  the  set — 
one  guide  for  each  letter  of  the  alphabet  with  X  Y  on  a  single  guide.  A 
No.  40  set  has  40  guides,  there  being  a  single  and  sometimes  2  or  3  guides 
for  the  larger  and  more  important  letters,  as  B,  M,  S,  etc. 

The  plan  of  numbering  guide-sets  is  followed  for  convenience,  the  figure 
always  indicating  the  number  of  guides  in  the  set  and  not  whether  it  is 
alphabetical  or  daily  or  otherwise.  For  example,  the  sets  25,  40,  80,  120,  160, 
and  so  on,  are  alphabetical  sets.  Set  No.  31  is  daily,  one  guide  for  each  day 
of  the  month  ;  and  set  No.  12  is  monthly,  one  guide  for  each  month  of  the 
year.  Set  No.  57  has  one  guide  for  each  State  and  U.  S.  possession.  A 
drawer  of  cards  is  sufficiently  indexed  by  guides  if  there  are  not  more  than 
10  cards  behind  every  guide. 

Guides  are  often  used  in  combination  as  regards  width  of  extensions. 
For  example,  a  set  of  No.  57  State  guides  contains  57  extensions,  one  printed 
for  each  State  and  United  States  possession,  the  extensions  of  the  guides 
being  one  cut.  If  there  are  more  cards  to  file  in  one  or  two  States  than  in  the 
others  then  sets  of  No.  25  guides  are  arranged  behind  the  State  guides  for 
the  larger  States  so  as  to  sub-classify  the  extra  cards  to  be  filed  behind  them. 


QUESTIONS 

What      are      index-guides      as  What  does  the  numerical  desig- 

distinguished  from  index-cards  ?  nation  of  a  set  of  guides  mean  ? 

Describe  the  different  size  cuts  How  many  guides  are  there  in 

in     which     guide     extensions     are  a  ^°~  ^  se^  ' 

Do   blank    guides    have    to    be 

What    is    meant    by    the    term  °rdered  in  Sets  ? 

"  extension  "  ?          By     the     term  Explain  how  sets  of  guides  may 

tab  "  ?  be  used  in  combination. 


196 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Numerical  Guides 
from  1  to  200 


Alphabetical 
Guides — 
Set  of  80 

Subdivisions 


Follow-Up     Arrangement    Daily 
(1-31)  and  Monthly  (Jan.-Dec.) 


Town  Guides  in 
State  of  New  York 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  197 


Card-System — Index-Guides 

The  illustrations  on  the  preceding  page  represent  the  standard  methods 
of  indexing  cards  or  other  records.  The  subject  method  of  indexing  is  not 
illustrated  but  is  described  on  page  217.  In  connection  with  the  county  and 
town  guides  but  one  State  guide  is  shown  from  a  No.  57  set. 

The  set  of  guides  shown  in  the  upper  corner  of  the  illustration  is  a  No.  80 
alphabetical  set.  The  extensions  are  made  one-fifth  cut  and  the  subdivisions 
are  printed  in  alphabetical  order  from  left  to  right  but  not  from  front  to  back. 
Attention  is  also  called  to  the  fact  that  the  first  subdivision  of  each  letter  is 
printed  in  red  and  the  remaining  subdivisions  of  that  letter  in  black — a 
feature  that  greatly  facilitates  filing  and  reference. 

To  the  right  of  the  No.  80  set  of  guides  is  a  numerical  arrangement,  the 
illustration  combining  record-cards  and  index-guides.  The  cards  are  dis- 
tinguished from  the  guides  by  the  white  projecting  tabs  printed  0  to  9  in  sets. 
The  guides  have  buff  extensions.  The  tabs  of  the  cards  and  the  extensions 
of  the  guides  are  used  in  combination  to  form  the  numbers.  For  instance, 
card  No.  175  would  be  located  first  by  buff  guide  100,  down  the  left  edge  ; 
second,  by  finding  guide  No.  70,  the  seventh  guide  behind  the  one  hundredth  ; 
third,  by  finding  the  card  with  a  "5"  tab  behind  the  70  guide.  The  figures 
on  the  tabs  are  the  unit  figures  of  the  numbers. 

Under  the  set  of  No.  80  guides  is  an  illustration  containing  two  sets  of 
guides,  one  a  No.  31,  or  daily  set,  and  the  other  a  No.  12,  or  monthly  set. 
The  No.  31  is  shown  behind  the  first  guide  (January)  of  the  No.  12.  These 
two  sets  are  nearly  always  used  in  combination.  Notice  that  the  No.  31  set 
is  made  one-fifth  cut  and  the  No.  12  one-third  cut. 

Under  the  set  of  numerical  guides  is  an  illustration  of  a  portion  of  a  set 
of  county  guides.  To  distinguish  county  guides  from  State  guides  (which 
are  made  salmon)  and  town  guides  (which  are  made  buff)  they  are  usually 
made  blue.  The  extensions  are  one-third  cut,  but  could  as  well  be  one 
cut  or  one-half  cut. 

Beneath  the  county  guides  is  a  portion  of  a  set  of  town  guides  made  buff, 
one-third  cut.  The  State  guide  for  New  York,  shown  in  the  front  of  the 
illustration,  is  not  a  part  of  the  town  guide  set  but  is  taken  from  a  set  of 
No.  57  State  guides. 


QUESTIONS 

How  many  guides  are  there  to  What  advantage  is  there  in 

a  No.  80  alphabetical  set  ?  making  the  first  guides  of  the 

What  is  meant  by  a  numerical-  different  letters  in  alphabetical  sets 

index  ?  of  a  different  color  from  the 

others  ? 

Are  the  tabs  for  the  unit  figures 

a  part  of  the  guide  set  ?  What  ,.         „   ig  uged  in 

What  is  a  No.  31   index  ?     A  and  county  guides  ? 

No.  12  ? 


198 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Card-Trays  and  Cabinets. 


These  may  be  secured  for  the  three  standard 
sizes  of  cards 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  199 


The  Card-System—Trays  and  Cabinets 

The  drawers  in  which  cards  are  kept  are  of  various  styles  known  as  open 
trays,  loose-cover  trays,  hinged-cover  trays,  and  cabinets,  as  will  be  very 
clear  from  an  examination  of  the  illustrations.  The  cabinet  shown  is  the 
one-drawer.  There  are  two-drawer,  four-drawer,  six-drawer,  and  nine-drawer 
cabinets. 

The  first  form  of  tray  or  cabinet  ever  used  was  undoubtedly  the  desk 
tray  so  that  the  cards  could  be  kept  at  the  desk  for  instant  use.  This  is 
the  style  of  tray  illustrated  in  cut  A,  made  without  cover.  When  not  in 
use  it  is  placed  in  the  uppermost  drawer  of  the  desk.  Trays  were  next 
made  with  loose  covers  and  finally  with  hinged  covers,  and  then  the  one-drawer 
cabinet  was  invented. 

Card-cabinets  are  also  made  in  sectional  style  ;  that  is,  cabinet  units  of 
a  specified  number  of  drawers;  i.  e.,  a  five-drawer  unit,  which  can  be  arranged 
to  form  a  complete  cabinet.  The  advantage  of  this  method  of  construction 
is  that  a  cabinet  can  be  started  with  only  five  drawers  and  extended  by  the 
addition  of  many  other  similar  sections. 

Every  card-drawer  contains  a  sliding  block  called  a  "  follower  "  that 
can  be  adjusted  to  the  number  of  cards  in  the  drawer  to  keep  them  in  an 
upright  position. 

This  follower-block  slides  back  and  forth  in  a  little  metal  track.  It  is 
a  most  convenient  arrangement,  and  makes  it  possible  to  release  the  block 
when  reference  is  made  to  the  cards.  When  the  card-system  was  first  used 
it  was  invariably  the  practise  always  to  lock  the  card -drawer  or  desk-tray 
when  through  referring  to  the  contents  because  of  fear  of  accident  and  the 
consequent  mixing  of  the  cards.  As  the  card-system  came  generally  into  use 
and  is  now  better  understood  the  necessity  for  precaution  by  using  locks  and 
rods  is  no  longer  felt. 

The  card-drawers  generally  contain  rods  as  a  safeguard  against  accident, 
the  rod  in  a  few  instances  being  provided  with  a  lock  so  that  cards  cannot 
be  removed  except  by  authorized  persons. 

The  covers  to  the  trays,  as  well  as  the  drawers  of  the  cabinets,  can  also 
be  provided  with  locks  so  as  to  guard  the  cards  against  examination. 

A  single  card-drawer  averages  about  1,000  cards  of  medium  thickness. 
This  includes  the  necessary  guides,  about  1  for  every  10  cards. 


QUESTIONS 

Name    the    different    styles    in  What  is  the  follower-block  ? 

which  card-trays  are  furnished. 

Wherein    does    the    one-drawer  What    is    the    function    of    the 

card-cabinet  differ  from  a  tray  ?  rod  in  a  card-drawer  ? 

14— (400) 


200 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


A  complete  Card-System,  consisting  of  Cards, 
Guides  and  Card-drawer 


STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


201 


The  Card-System  in  Operation 

The  three  elements  of  which  the  card-system  is  made  are  :  record-cards, 
index-guides  and  a  tray,  or  cabinet. 

In  using  the  system  it  is  not  necessary  to  remove  the  drawer.  It  may 
be  pulled  from  the  cabinet  opening  only  far  enough  to  enable  the  user  of  the 
system  to  find  the  card. 

Where  the  card-system  is  used  for  customers'  ledger  accounts,  as  it  is  now 
being  used  very  widely,  it  is  preferable  to  place  the  card-drawer  containing 
the  ledger  cards  upon  the  bookkeeper's  desk. 

The  most  convenient  feature  of  keeping  ledger  accounts  on  cards  is  that 
it  is  necessary  to  refer  to  a  certain  card  only  to  examine  the  account  ;  whereas 
when  ledger  accounts  are  kept  in  books  the  whole  book  must  be  handled. 
Sometimes  it  is  necessary  to  show  the  customer's  account  to  him.  Where 
books  are  used  the  customer  has  the  opportunity  of  seeing  other  persons' 
accounts  in  the  ledger.  Where  he  is  given  his  account  card,  however,  to 
examine  he  has  no  such  opportunity. 

•  There  are  two  ways  of  posting  customers'  accounts.  One  is  to  find 
each  card  as  needed  and,  after  posting,  to  return  it  to  its  place  in  the  card- 
drawer  ;  the  other  is  to  select  from  the  card-drawer  all  the  cards  to  which 
postings  must  be  made  and  not  to  return  them  to  their  places  until  all  postings 
have  been  completed. 

Another  advantage  of  using  a  card-ledger  is  that  the  cards  may  be  laid 
on  the  journal  sheet  with  the  top  of  the  card  beneath  the  item  to  be  posted. 
By  thus  bringing  the  item  and  the  posting  together  the  chances  of  error  are 
diminished. 


QUESTIONS 


What  are  the  three  parts  of  a 
card-system  as  shown  by  the 
illustration  ? 

In  what  way  is  the  act  of 
locating  a  card  in  the  card-drawer 
more  convenient  and  quicker  than 
finding  a  page  in  a  bound  or 
loose-leaf  book  ? 

Describe     the     two     ways     of 


posting  customers'  accounts  with 
a  card-ledger  system,  and  after 
making  a  practical  test  of  both 
methods  state  which  method  you 
prefer  and  give  the  reasons  for  your 
preference. 

In  posting  an  item  to  a  custom- 
er's account  card  describe  how  you 
would  handle  the  card — where  lay 
it,  etc. — in  performing  the  act. 


202 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


How  cards  are  indexed  behind  Alphabetical  Guides  by  firm  names 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH  203 


Indexing  Cards  Alphabetically 

In  the  illustration  a  portion  only  of  a  set  of  No.  25  index-guides  is  repre- 
sented, comprising  the  letters  P  to  Z.  The  other  letters,  A  to  O,  are  not 
shown.  If  they  were  they  would  be  in  front  of  the  P  guide.  A  card  bearing 
the  name  of  the  Yawman  &  Erbe  Mfg.  Co.  and  their  address  is  shown  in  its 
proper  alphabetical  position  behind  the  XY  guide.  The  guides  are  generally 
buff  in  color,  without  printing,  while  the  cards  are  white  and  without 
extensions. 

This  form  of  card  is  termed  a  printed  form.  It  is  5"  wide  by  3"  high,  as 
are  also  the  guides.  Some  printed  form  cards  are  in  such  general  use  that 
they  are  furnished  in  this  form,  though  as  a  rule  the  forms  are  printed  to 
suit  individual  requirements.  The  advantage  of  using  a  printed  form 
card  over  a  plain  unprinted  form  is  that  the  printed  headings  insure  uniformity 
in  the  filling  in  of  entries  and  call  the  attention  to  each  item  of  information. 
Moreover,  there  is  also  a  certain  definite  place  on  the  card  where  each  item 
of  information  may  be  found  when  referring  to  the  system.  Where  an 
unprinted  form  is  used  the  information  on  the  cards  is  apt  to  be  written  in  a 
haphazard  fashion,  so  that  to  obtain  any  item  of  information  it  is  necessary 
to  read  the  whole  card. 

.When  indexing,  the  cards  must  be  arranged  behind  the  index-guides 
under  which  they  belong  and  not  in  front.  The  card  for  Yawman  &  Erbe 
Mfg.  Co.,  for  example,  is  placed  behind  the  XY  guide  for  Y,  the  first 
name  of  the  firm,  and  not  in  front  of  it.  In  indexing  there  are  individuals' 
names,  firm  names,  and  others.  Classification  of  individuals'  names  is  done 
by  using  the  initial  letter  of  the  surnames  ;  of  firm  names  by  the  initial  letter 
of  the  surname  of  the  first  firm  name  ;  all  the  others  by  the  initial  letter  of 
the  first  surname,  or  other  designation  ;  as,  Standard  Oil  Company  behind 
S  :  New  York  Central  R.  R.  behind  N. 


QUESTIONS 

How  many  guides  are  there  in  the  entire  set  shown  ?  What  guides 

the    complete    set    of    which    but  are  missing  ? 

a    portion    is    illustrated   on    page 

IQQ  p  State  the  advantages  of  using  a 

printed  form  of  card  such  as  that 

Why  is  the   card  in  this  illus-  shown  in  this  cut. 

tration    filed    in    front    of    the    Z 

guide  ?  Give  two  reasons  why  record - 

cards  should   be  filed   behind   the 

What  set  of  alphabetical  guides  index-guides   and   not  in   front   of 

is  shown  in   this  illustration  ?     Is  them. 


204 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


The  Follow-up 


Usual    form    of    "  Follow-up  "    record.      The    cards    are    arranged 
alphabetically  and  cross-indexed  by  date 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH  205 


The  Card-System — Follow-up 

The  term  "  follow-up  "  means  generally  to  follow  prospective  customers 
for  orders. 

The  system  is  in  widest  use  by  mail-order  houses,  which,  as  their  name 
implies,  solicit  business  through  the  mails.  Their  plan  of  soliciting  business 
is  to  send  circulars  and  to  advertise  in  the  magazines.  Lists  of  names  are 
sometimes  copied  on  cards,  but  more  often  are  contained  in  telephone 
directories,  typewritten  lists,  etc. 

Where  the  card  follow-up  system  is  used  a  card  is  made  out  for  the 
prospective  customer  only  after  a  reply  has  been  received  from  a  circular, 
as  follows  : 

Suppose  you  had  a  list  of  dealers  in  the  state  of  Ohio  containing  1,500 
names  and  you  sent  a.  circular  to  each.  In  a  week  you  get  a  reply  from 
Quincy  &  Meyers  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  saying  they  received  a  circular  and 
desire  further  information  regarding  your  goods.  You  then  make  out  a  card, 
as  shown  in  the  illustration,  entering  their  name,  file  number  (which  may 
mean  account  number),  town,  street,  rating  (taken  from  Dun's  book)  source, 
whose  territory  (the  correspondent  who  has  charge  of  this  territory)  and 
business.  Then  under  the  heading  "  We  Wrote  "  will  be  set  down  the  dates 
upon  which  letters  answering  their  inquiry  are  sent  out. 

The  entries  on  the  card  show  the  first  letter  was  mailed  September  10 
(Circular  A).  No  reply  to  that  being  received  the  second  was  mailed 
September  20  (Circular  B)  ;  to  which  no  reply  being  received  Circular  C 
was  mailed  under  date  of  September  30. 

Now  referring  to  the  column  "  They  Wrote  "  you  will  see  that  a  reply 
was  received  under  date  of  October  2  asking  for  "  Terms,"  which  letter  was 
answered  (see  "  We  Wrote  ")  under  date  of  October  5,  a  special  letter  having 
been  written  quoting  "  regular  "  terms.  A  metal  tab  was  then  slipped  over 
the  top  edge  of  the  card  covering  the  figure  12  to  indicate  that  this  card  must 
be  brought  up  for  attention  (or  followed  up)  on  that  date,  which  is  seven 
days  after  the  last  letter  was  written.  The  card,  in  this  condition,  is  then 
returned  to  the  card-drawer  and  filed  back  of  the  "  Q "  guide.  (See 
illustration.) 


QUESTIONS 

Define  "  mail  order  "  and  men-  H«w   are   record-cards   indexed 

tion  one  of  the  commonest  ways  of  and   what   is   the   function   of   the 

soliciting  business.  indicator  as  shown  on  the  cards  in 

the  illustration  ? 

In  what  form  is  it  most  What  is  done  with  the  record- 
convenient  to  handle  lists  of  card  after  all  letters  have  been 
names  where  they  are  not  in  answered  and  no  order  received 
card-form  ?  from  Quincy  &  Meyers  ? 


206 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Sample  of  "  half  cut  "  Vertical  Folder  for  holding  correspondence 


Set  of  No.  80  Alphabetical  Guides  showing  how  folders  are  filed  behind 

them 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH  207 


Record-Filing— The  Vertical  System 

By  a  record-filing  system  is  meant  the  indexing  of  papers  or  other  records 
(not  necessarily  letters  but  frequently  so)  that  do  not  have  to  be  transcribed 
but  may  be  filed  away  in  the  original  form. 

The  vertical  system  is  the  one  most  generally  used  in  filing  correspondence. 

As  business  letters  come  in  various  sizes,  forms,  and  thicknesses  of  letter 
paper,  with  not  a  few  postal  cards  scattered  in,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  means 
of  conveniently  holding  and  handling  them.  For  accomplishing  this  purpose 
the  folder  is  employed.  A  folder  is  a  sheet  of  heavy  manila  paper  made  with 
one  fold  and  measuring  when  folded  about  12"  wide  by  9£"  high.  A  folder 
of  this  kind  holds  from  50  to  100  letters,  depending  on  the  thickness  of  the 
sheets,  etc.  The  back  sheet  and  front  sheet  of  the  folders  are  nearly  equal 
in  height,  though  the  back  sheet  should  project  slightly  above  the  front  sheet 
for  convenience  in  handling. 

One  of  the  best  forms  of  folders  now  used  is  that  termed  "  half  cut  " 
in  lefts  and  rights.  This  tab  is  printed  with  the  words  "  Name  "  and 
"  Number,"  as  a  folder  generally  is  devoted  to  a  certain  firm  or  individual, 
and  this  space  provides  for  entering  the  name  thereon.  On  the  second  line 
of  the  tab  may  be  written  the  date  of  the  oldest  letter  and  the  date  of  the 
latest  when  the  folder  has  become  filled. 

When  folders  are  placed  in  the  vertical  file-drawer  they  are  just  high 
enough  to  allow  the  extension  on  the  guides  to  project  above  them.  As 
with  the  card-system  so  with  the  vertical  system,  the  folders  must  always 
be  filed  behind  (not  in  front)  the  guides.  There  is  no  limit  to  the  number 
of  folders  which  may  be  filed  behind  a  single  guide.  Separate  folders  may 
be  assigned  to  different  firms  and  individuals  or  to  different  towns  if  the  filing 
is  by  location  instead  of  alphabetically. 


QUESTIONS 

Describe  what  a  folder  is  and  In  what  position  are  the  folders 

how   the    letters    are    arranged   in  filed    in    a    vertical    drawer    with 

it.  respect  to  the  guides  ? 

Are  folders  always  required  in  How  many  vertical  folders  may 

letter-filing  ?     Why  could  they  not  be  filed  behind  a  single  guide  ? 

be  dispensed  with  ? 

What  is  meant  by  "  half-cut  "  ? 


208  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


A   Vertical   Drawer  showing  how  the  folders   are  placed   therein 


How  the  drawer  looks  apart  from  the  cabinet.     The  guides  are  arranged 
for  following-up  correspondence 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


209 


Record-Filing— The  Vertical  System 

The  three  requisites  of  a  filing-system,  and  in  particular  the  vertical 
system,  are  :  folders  for  holding  letters,  index-guides  for  classifying  them, 
and  a  cabinet  in  which  to  arrange  them. 

In  this  illustration  is  seen  a  method  of  placing  and  removing  folders  in  a 
vertical  filing-system. 

A  vertical  drawer,  unlike  a  card-drawer,  is  much  larger  and  heavier 
and  for  that  reason  is  placed  in  the  cabinet  opening  to  run  on  metal  rollers, 
the  metal  runways  for  which  may  be  seen  on  the  side  of  the  drawer.  This 
permits  the  drawer  to  run  easily  back  and  forth  no  matter  how  heavily  laden, 
and  also  being  provided  with  a  "  stop  "  makes  it  impossible  accidentally  to 
pull  the  drawer  out  of  the  cabinet  and  throw  it  to  the  floor. 

Vertical  drawers  come  in  two  sizes  :  the  small  which  hold  between  2,500 
and  3,000  papers,  and  the  large,  about  3,500  to  5,000,  depending  somewhat 
on  the  thickness  of  the  papers. 

.  A  more  detailed  view  of  a  vertical  file-drawer  gives  a  better  idea  of  how 
the  index-guides  look  when  arranged  therein.  This  drawer,  you  will  note, 
is  labeled  "  Pending,"  which  means  that  the  drawer  contains  correspondence 
or  papers  that  are  open  and  are  being  followed  up. 

The  first  set  of  index-guides  in  the  drawer  is  a  No.  25  set,  A  to  Z.  Following 
this  and  in  the  middle  section  is  a  set  of  No.  31  guides  ;  that  is,  31  guides 
to  the  set,  printed  from  1  to  31  and  representing  the  days  of  the  month. 
The  last  set  in  the  drawer  is  called  a  No.  12  set,  consisting  of  12  guides  printed 
with  the  months  of  the  year — January  to  December. 

Papers  or  letters  to  be  followed  up  on  a  certain  date  are  filed  behind 
the  index-guide  corresponding  to  that  date. 


QUESTIONS 


What  are  the  three  requisites 
of  a  vertical  filing-system  ? 

Mention  two  advantages  of  the 
metal-roller  suspension  slides. 

What  does  the  term  "  pending  " 
mean  and  what  index-guides  should 
a  pending-file  contain  ? 


How  are  the  follow-up  guides 
used  (the  set  of  No.  31  and  the  set 
of  No.  12)  so  that  it  is  not  necessary 
to  have  a  complete  set  of  No.  31 
guides  behind  every  one  of  the 
twelve  monthly  guides  ? 


210 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


A  set  of  No.  25  Alphabetical  Guides  showing  the  simplest  use  of  the 
Vertical  System 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  211 


Record-Filing — Alphabetical  Folders  and  Guides 

The  illustration  on  this  page  is  the  commonest  form  of  name,  or  alphabet- 
ical, filing.  The  index  is  known  as  a  No.  25  subdivision.  Only  a  portion 
is  shown  for  the  letters  A  to  J,  the  remaining  letters,  K  to  Z,  being  absent. ... 

In  simple  alphabetical  filing  a  set  of  alphabetical  folders  must  be  used  to 
correspond  with  the  set  of  alphabetical  guides.  Notice  in  the  illustration 
that  directly  behind  every  alphabetical  guide  there  is  a  folder  bearing  the 
same  letter  of  the  alphabet  in  the  extreme  left  corner  of  the  tab. 

When  a  system  of  this  kind  is  put  into  use  all  letters  which  go  behind 
the  various  index-guides  are  at  first  placed  in  a  single  folder  bearing  a  letter 
of  the  alphabet.  When  letters  in  a  certain  folder  become  too  numerous  the 
letters  in  the  folder  are  assorted  to  find  the  excess  for  certain  firms.  These 
firms  are  then  provided  with  separate  folders,  the  name  of  the  firm  being 
written  on  the  extension,  and  the  special  folders  are  placed  back  of  the 
guide  but  in  front  of  the  general  or  alphabetical  folder. 

For  example  :  It  might  be  found  that  in  the  A  folder  behind  the  A  guide 
there  was  correspondence  from  six  or  eight  different  firms,  but  that  more  than 
half  of  the  total  amount  of  correspondence  was  with  Adams  &  Co.  and 
Anderson  &  Jones.  Consequently  two  blank  folders  would  be  written  up, 
one  for  each  of  these  firms  and  the  correspondence  for  each  filed  therein. 

These  alphabetical  sets  of  index-guides  may  also  be  used  for  filing  letters 
by  towns  as  well  as  customers'  names.  Correspondence  from  Jones  &  Smith, 
Batavia,  N.  Y.,  under  the  town  method  of  filing  would  be  placed  back  of  the 
B  guide. 


QUESTIONS 

How  many  guides  are  there  in  folder    behind    a    guide     becomes 

the  set  of  guides  of  which  only  a  filled    what    plan    is    followed    for 

part  is  seen  on  the  illustration  ?  placing   certain    of    the   correspon- 

dence in  separate  folders  ? 
In    starting    a   vertical    system 

with  a  set  of  guides  what  sort  of  How  would  you  file  letters  by 

folders  are  also  needed  ?  towns     instead     of     firm     names 

behind     an    alphabetical     set     of 
When  a  single,  or  alphabetical  index-guides  ? 


212 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Sample  set  of  guides  showing  how  correspondence  back  of  any  particular 
State  may  be  subdivided  by  firm  names  or  by  towns 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  213 


Record-Filing — Indexing  by  States  and  Towns 

It  is  not  advisable  to  file  letters  or  other  papers  by  states  and  towns 
except  where  there  is  considerable  correspondence  covering  a  wide  territory. 

If  a  business  house  had  letters  to  file  with  concerns  located  in  one  or  two 
towns  only  the  alphabetical  method  would  be  best  suited,  but  where  the 
correspondence  covers  a  great  many  towns  and  several  states  then  the 
geographical  method  is  the  most  suitable. 

In  the  illustration  is  shown  a  set  of  State  guides.  This  is  the  basis  of 
all  State  and  town  indexing.  As  soon  as  papers  begin  to  increase  behind 
the  guides  for  various  States  sub-alphabetical,  or  town,  indexes  may  be 
inserted  for  classifying  the  papers  by  towns.  For  example  :  in  the  illus- 
tration behind  the  guide  for  Canada  is  seen  a  set  of  No.  25  subdivisions. 
The  next  correspondence  after  this  might  be  heaviest  in  New  York  State. 
By  inserting  a  set  of  No.  25  subdivisions  behind  the  guide  for  New  York 
State  the  papers  may  be  sub-classified  by  towns  or  names. 

Sometimes  the  subdivisions  behind  the  States  are  by  counties,  several 
guides  being  provided  with  the  name  of  the  counties  printed  on  the  exten- 
sipns.  In  other  cases  special  guides  bearing  the  names  of  towns  are  used 
and  behind  these  alphabetical  sets  are  inserted  for  sub-classifying  the 
correspondence  in  the  towns  by  names  of  firms  arid  individuals. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  although  indexing  by  location  may  be  started 
in  a  very  simple  way  with  a  set  of  No.  57  State  guides,  the  size  of  the  index 
may  be  extended  indefinitely  by  adding  sub-indexes  behind  the  States. 

One  of  the  chief  advantages  of  subject  or  location-filing  is  that  the  indexing 
arrangement  proves  useful  for  a  greater  period  of  time  than  if  the  filing 
is  by  firm  names  or  individuals.  Addresses  do  not  change  as  frequently 
as  firm  names,  and  as  a  general  thing  it  is  easier  to  remember  the  name  of 
a  town  than  it  is  the  name  of  a  firm.  Besides,  having  the  correspondence 
filed  and  indexed  by  location  enables  one  to-  make  his  filing-system  correspond 
in  layout  with  the  actual  selling  territory. 


QUESTIONS 

When    would    you    consider    it  Why  is  the  geographical  method 

advisable  to  use  alphabetical  filing  better  for  a  great  many  towns  ? 

and  when  geographical  or  location- 
filing  ?  What  set  of  index-guides  is  it 

necessary  to  have  in  order  to  start 
1  Why  is  the  alphabetical  method  *  location-file  ? 

better  where  the  correspondence  is 

with  firms  located  in  one  or  two  What  is  the  technical  term  for 

towns  ?  the  set  of  guides  filed  behind  the 

State  guide  for  Canada  ? 


214 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


Vertical     Folders     and    guides    arranged     numerically.     Guides    are 
numbered  in  intervals  of  20,   but  the  folders  consecutively 


An   alphabetical   card-index   is   required   when   correspondence   is   filed 

numerically 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH  215 


Record-  Fi  ling — Numerical  I  ndexi  ng 

The  term  "  numerical  indexing  "  means  the  use  of  numbers  to  stand  for 
firm  names,  towns,  or  subjects.  The  number  is  arbitrary  and  has  no  meaning 
by  itself.  For  example  :  if  in  name-indexing  the  firm  of  John  Brown  &  Co. 
were  the  first  name  taken  into  consideration  it  would  be  numbered  1. 
If  Charles  Williams  &  Son  were  next  in  order  it  would  be  numbered  2.  The 
names  are  not  necessarily  numbered  in  alphabetical  order.  They  might  be 
started  in  that  way  but  new  names  could  not  be  properly  inserted  thereafter. 

The  illustration  is  the  form  of  record-filing  termed  "  numerical."  The 
index-guides  bear  numbers  at  intervals  of  10  or  20,  while  the  folders  filed 
behind  them  are  numbered  consecutively  by  1's,  making  10  or  20  (as  the 
case  may  be)  folders  behind  each  index-guide.  An  index  to  the  numbers 
must  be  provided  on  5  x  3  cards  as  is  shown  in  the  other  illustration. 

Generally  the  numerical  method  of  indexing  is  used  where  the  names 
or  towns  or  subjects  admit  of  more  than  one  interpretation  or  use.  The  best 
example  of  this  is  in  name  or  alphabetical  filing  where  letters  from  a  firm  are 
apt  to  be  signed  by  the  different  individuals  who  are  officers  of  the  company. 
The  number  181  is  assigned  the  First  National  Bank  of  Cedal  Rapids,  Iowa. 
All  correspondence  from  that  company  is  filed  in  folder  181.  As  correspon- 
dence is  sometimes  signed  by  Mr.  Wellman,  the  cashier,  a  card  for  Wellman 
is  made  out  and  indexed  under  W  in  the  card-drawer  and  bearing  the  bank's 
number,  181. 

Sometimes  a  man  may  be  an  officer  in  two  or  more  companies  and  may 
write  a  letter  from  the  office  of  one  company  on  a  certain  subject  and  at  other 
times  write  from  the  office  of  the  other  company  on  the  same  subject,  using 
different  stationery  each  time.  The  name  of  one  company  might  be  the 
Mechanics'  National  Bank,  while  another  might  be  the  Enterprise  Foundry 
Company.  Under  the  alphabetical  system  the  letters  would  be  filed  in  differ- 
ent places.  Under  the  numerical  method  a  memorandum  of  the  fact  referred 
to  can  be  placed  in  the  card-index  so  that  when  a  letter  is  received  its  proper 
filing-place  can  be  at  once  noted  on  it  by  number. 


QUESTIONS 

Describe  in  a  general  way  what  uncertainty  about  classifying  cor- 

is  meant  by  numerical  filing.  respondence  on  Accidents,  Injuries, 

Derailments,  and  Collisions,  etc. 

When  should  the  numerical  What  index-cards  would  be  made 

method  of  indexing  be  used  ?  out  in  the  card-system  ? 

Where   correspondence    is   filed  Give  an  illustration  under  the 

by     sub-subjects     there     is     some  alphabetical  system. 


15— (400) 


216 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


An  illustration  of  Subject-Indexing  of  correspondence.     This  may  be  used 
for  either  correspondence  or  samples 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH  217 


Record-Filing — Indexing  by  Subject 

Subject-indexing  is  the  most  difficult  of  all  methods  of  filing  and  should 
never  be  used  except  in  cases  where  alphabetical  or  name-indexing,  or  indexing 
by  location,  will  not  meet  the  requirements. 

The  special  danger  in  subject-indexing  is  the  getting  of  too  many  subjects. 
The  method  is  very  much  abused  in  this  respect.  It  seems  a  very  easy  matter- 
to  decide  to  file  correspondence  by  subject  and  to  select  a  list  of  the  various 
subjects,  such  as  "  Accidents,"  "  Advertising,"  "  Branches,"  "  Credits," 
"  Complaints,"  "  Shipments,"  etc.,  etc.,  without  laying  down  any  rules 
defining  just  what  each  subject  term  means.  The  result  is  one  clerk  will 
decide  that  a  certain  piece  of  correspondence  is  a  "  Complaint  "  while  another 
will  file  it  under  "  Shipments  "  because  it  is  a  complaint  about  a  shipment. 

Again,  in  selecting  a  list  of  subject-names  very  frequently  several  classes 
of  a  general  subject  will  be  listed,  such  as  "  Accounting,"  "  Costs,"  "  Pur- 
chases," "  Claims,"  "  Legal."  The  mistake  made  here  is  that  there  is  but 
one  general  subject  which  is  "  Accounting  "  and  all  the  others  are  sub-classes 
of  that,  but  if  all  are  given  separate  places  the  list  of  subjects  will  be  continually 
added  to  and  will  stretch  out  indefinitely. 

The  one  special  rule  to  follow  in  subject-indexing  is  first  to  select  a  list  of 
general  subjects,  which  shall  be  as  consistent  as  possible  and  then  to  divide 
the  general  subjects  into  sub-subjects.  This  arrangement  will  permit  sub- 
subjects  being  added  at  any  time  without  confusion.  If  there  is  any  difficulty 
between  any  two  sub-subjects  they  are  at  least  in  the  same  general  sub-class 
and  cannot  be  filed  very  far  apart. 

The  illustration  on  the  opposite  page  shows  one  of  the  easiest  forms  of 
subject-indexing.  The  general  subjects  are  represented  by  the  names  of 
papers,  such  as  "  Bond  Papers,"  "  Card  Board,"  "  Catalogue  Envelope,"  etc., 
each  of  which  is  divided  into  sub-classes  "  Low,"  "  Medium,"  "  High,"  and 
"  Others." 


QUESTIONS 

When  is  subject-indexing    to  be  In  a  subject-file   containing    the 

considered    as    regards    name    and         headings      "  Accidents,"      "  Derail- 
location  indexing  ?  ments,"     "  Collisions,"     "  Injuries," 

which     would     you     term     general 

What   is    the  special    danger   in         subjects  and  which  sub-subjects  ? 
subject-indexing  ? 

What  rule  should  be  followed  in 
laying  out  a  subject-index  ? 


218 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Shannon,  or  Arch,  System  of 
filing  letters 


Loose-sheet  System,  drawer 
closed 


Loose-sheet  System,  drawer  open 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  219 


Record-Filing — Shannon  and  Loose-Sheet  Systems 

The  first  letter-file  system  ever  designed  was  known  as  the  loose-sheet, 
so  called  in  distinction  to  the  arch  or  Shannon  system  of  filing  where  the 
papers  are  perforated  and  held  in  position  on  arches. 

The  loose-sheet  file  consists  of  a  letter-size  drawer  containing  an  index 
of  twenty  sheets  lying  in  the  drawer  flat  with  the  openings  on  the  right-hand 
long  side.  An  examination  of  the  illustration  will  make  the  make-up  of  this 
file  clear.  The  index  leaves  bear  projecting  tabs  for  the  letters  of  the  alphabet 
or  numbers  to  correspond  with  the  days  of  the  month.  Letters  and  papers 
are  filed  between  sheets  of  the  index  loosely.  When  the  file-drawer  becomes 
filled  with  correspondence  the  contents,  including  the  index,  are  lifted  out 
and  placed  in  a  transfer-case  and  a  new  empty  index  put  into  the  drawer. 

The  Shannon  or  arch  system  of  filing  consists  of  a  small  letter-size  file- 
drawer  about  the  size  of  a  loose-sheet  file  except  that  the  drawer  consists 
only  of  bottom  and  front.  It  has  no  sides,  sides  being  unnecessary  on  account 
of  the  arches  on  which  the  papers  are  filed.  The  arch  is  double  in  construction 
and  is  placed  at  the  rear  of  the  file-drawer.  All  letters  filed  in  the  drawer 
have  to  be  perforated  with  two  small  holes  at  the  top  for  fitting  over  the 
arches. 

The  invention  of  the  Shannon  file  brought  with  it  some  very  marked 
improvements  over  the  loose-sheet  file,  one  of  which  is  that  the  file  is 
proof  against  accident.  There  is  no  way  of  dislodging  the  letters  from  a 
Shannon  file  after  they  are  once  placed  on  the  arches.  Also,  any  letter 
filed  in  the  Shannon  file  can  be  examined  without  removing  it  from  the  arch 
simply  by  raising  up  and  laying  over  the  papers  filed  above  it.  This  feature 
in  itself  is  the  means  of  saving  a  great  deal  of  time  in  business  offices. 


QUESTIONS 

Describe    the    loose-leaf    letter-  How  does  the  construction   of 

file  and  state  what  kind  of  index  it  the    loose-sheet    file-drawer    differ 

is  equipped  with.  from  the  Shannon  file-drawer  ? 

In  what  way  are  letters  trans-  What  is  the  distinguishing  feature 

ferred     from     a     loose-sheet     file-  of  the  Shannon  method  of  filing  ? 

drawer  to  a  transfer-case  ? 

Why    is    the    Shannon    system 
accident-proof  ? 


220 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


KEEPINGALWAWfHE 
—HARMONIOUS  APPEARANCE  OF  THESTACK 


Filing-Systems — The  Receptacle 

Business  conditions  demand  that  filing-cabinets  be  made  in  sectional 
construction.  This  means  that  file-drawers  for  various  kinds  of  systems, 
such  as  card-index,  vertical,  etc.,  must  be  made  in  separate  units  (a  specified 
number  of  drawers  in  each  unit)  and  that  the  various  units  shall  be  of  the 
same  size  so  far  as  width  and  depth  are  concerned.  This  makes  it  possible 
to  arrange  units  into  various  combinations  so  that  they  present  the  form 
and  appearance  of  a  solidly  built  cabinet. 

The  illustration  on  the  upper  portion  of  this  page  makes  quite  clear  the 
advantage  of  this  method  of  construction. 

In  the  upper  left-hand  corner  is  shown  the  beginning  of  a  filing-cabinet, 
which,  when  filled  with  records,  is  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  another  ; 
and  this,  in  the  course  of  time,  is  added  to  by  others.  The  cabinet  thus  grows 
with  the  addition  of  sections,  but  retains  at  all  times  its  unity. 


QUESTIONS 


Name  one  advantage  possessed 
by  section-ally  made  cabinets  over 
the  solidly  constructed  kind. 

In  what  way  may  a  sectional 
cabinet  be  increased  in  size  ? 


What  advantage  is  there  in 
combining  different  systems  like 
the  card-system,  vertical,  etc.,  etc., 
into  a  complete  cabinet  in  one 
piece  ? 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


221 


Filing-Systems — The  Receptacle 

Another  device  of  unit  filing-cabinets  is  shown  in  this  illustration.  By  a 
careful  examination  of  the  first  or  left-hand  illustration  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
sides  of  the  separate  units  are  open  or  skeleton  in  construction.  To  cover 
these  sides  there  are  pairs  of  ends,  which  are  detached  panels,  that  are  screwed 
to  the  sides.  These  correspond  to  the  separate  tops  and  bases  of  the  style 
of  construction  referred  to  on  the  preceding  page. 

This  method  of  constructing  filing-cabinets  is  called  the  upright  unit 
method.  The  units  are  uniform  in  height  and  depth.  They  may  vary  in 
width.  Any  number  of  these  units  may  be  put  together  side  by  side  with 
but  one  pair  of  ends  at  each  extremity,  forming  in  appearance  a  complete 
solidly  made  cabinet.  A  system  may  thus  be  started  with  a  single  upright 
unit  and  pair  of  ends.  Other  upright  units  may  be  added  as  required  and 
combined  with  the  first  by  removing  either  end  and  refastening  it  to  the 
outside  of  the  latest  upright  added. 


QUESTIONS 


What  is  the  main  point  of 
difference  between  the  horizontal 
sectional  cabinets  and  the  upright  ? 

If  three  upright  units  were  to 
be  used  how  many  pairs  of  paneled 
sides  would  be  required  5 


Do  you  see  any  advantage  in 
making  these  upright  units  skeleton 
or  open-side  construction  ?  What 
is  it  ? 


222  STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 

First  Card- System  Narrative 

THE    UP-TO-DATE    COMMERCIAL    COLLEGE 
Progressiveville,  Queens  County,  N.  Y. 

January  1,   1914. 
The  American  Mfg.  Co., 
Rochester, 

N.  Y. 
Gentlemen  : 

We  desire  to  instal  a  modern  filing-system  for 
keeping  track  of  our  correspondence  with  students,   and  for 
our  catalogues,  orders,  mailing-list,  and  follow-up  system. 
Outline  a  system  just  as  fully  as  possible. 
Yours  very  truly, 


The  American  Mfg.  Co.  reply  as  follows : 

THE    AMERICAN    MFG.    CO. 

Rochester.    N.    Y.,  May  3,   1914. 
The  Commercial  College, 

Progressiveville,  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen  : 

Replying  to  your  letter  of  January  1 ,  advising  us  that 
you  would  be  interested  in  receiving  information  about  a  system 
for  keeping  your  various  records  :     We  take  pleasure  in  suggesting 
that  you  instal  a  sectional  filing  cabinet  as  follows  : 

1  No.  12  Top. 

1     ,,29  5-drawer  Card  Index  Section. 

1     „     19  Shannon  Section. 

1     ,,     54  Vertical  Section. 

1     ,,       2  Leg  Base. 

We  suggest  that  this  cabinet  be  used  in  the  following 


CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  STUDENTS 

The  No.  54  vertical  section  contains  two  drawers  for  letter- 
size  papers.     We  suggest  that  one  of  these  drawers  be  labeled 
"  Students  "  and  be  equipped  with  a  set  of  No.  25  New  Direct  Name 
guides  and  folders,  with  100  blank  half-cut  folders  for  larger 
correspondents. 

All  correspondence  with  prospective  students  and 
parents  would  be  filed  alphabetically  in  this  drawer.     We  suggest 
that  a  copy  of  every  outgoing  letter  be  attached  to  the  letter 
to  which  it  is  a  reply  and  filed  in  this  drawer.     If  you  are  using  the 
letter-press  system  of  copying  your  outgoing  letters,  we  suggest 
that  you  abandon  it  and  adopt  the  carbon  method  or  the  Rapid 
Roller  Letter  Copier,  both  of  which  will  give  you  a  separate  detachable 
copy  for  filing. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  223 


CATALOGUES 

The  second,  or  right-hand  drawer  of  the  No.  54  section 
may  be  used  for  filing  various  catalogues  which  you  keep  on  file. 
These  catalogues  are  those  sent  you  by  supply  and  book-houses,  and 
are  constantly  being  referred  to  in  connection  with  the  purchasing 
of  goods.  Place  in  the  drawer  one  set  of  No.  25  pressboard  guides  without 
any  folders  of  any  kind,  and  index  your  catalogues  alphabetically 
by  firm  name.     A  catalogue  from  the  Yates    &  Arno  Co.,  for 
instance,  would  be  filed  behind  the  "  Y  "  guide  ;  that  from  the 
American  Book  Company  would  be  filed  behind  the  "  A  "  guide,  etc. 

ORDERS 

The  No.  19  section  contains  three  drawers,  one  for 
loose-sheet  filing  and  two  for  Shannon  filing.     Although  the  loose- 
sheet  is  no  longer  recommended  for  the  filing  of  business  papers,  we 
suggest  that  this  drawer  be  a  part  of  the  cabinet  simply  to  show 
students  the  loose-leaf  system  and  to  impress  upon  them  its 
undesirable  features.     The  left-hand  drawer  of  this  section  should 
be  the  loose-sheet  drawer.     We  suggest  that  it  be  labeled 
"  Unfilled  Orders."     The  other  two  drawers  will  be  equipped  for 
Shannon  filing,  and  one  should  be  labeled  "  Filled  Orders  A-K  "  and 
the  other  "  Filled  Orders  L-Z."     There  would  be  an  alphabetical 
index  to  each  drawer. 

All  your  orders  for  supplies  or  material  should  be 
made  out  on  a  form  of  order-blank,  and  a  carbon  copy  or  copier  copy 
should  be  made  of  each  order.     In  case  you  use  no  distinctive 
form  of  order-blank  an  ordinary  letter-head  will  do,  writing  the 
word  "  Order  "  plainly  at  the  top.     File  the  copies  of  all  unfilled 
orders  in  the  loose-sheet  drawer,  indexed  alphabetically.     When  the 
goods  for  the  orders  are  received,  remove  them  from  this  drawer, 
and  file  them  in  one  or  the  other  of  the  Shannon  drawers,  also 
indexed  alphabetically. 

MAILING-LIST 

The  No.  29  section  contains  five  card-drawers.     The 
first  two  should  be  labeled  "  Mailing-List  A-K  "  and  "  Mailing-List 
L-Z."     They  should  contain  a  set  of  No.  80  card-index  guides,  40 
arranged  in  one  drawer  and  the  remaining  40  in  the  other  drawer. 
While  these  drawers  will  hold  approximately  2,000  cards,  we  suggest 
that  you  begin  by  using  500  cards,  stock  horizontal  ruled,  No.  2,253, 
for  compiling  a  mailing-list  of  prospective  students.     These  names 
would   be   gathered    from   different   sources — the   graduating-lists   of 
public  schools,  high  schools,  names  taken  from  newspaper  items, 
or  gathered  from  the  "  Want  "  columns  of  the  daily  newspapers, 
or  the  name  any  young  man  or  young  women  that  you  feel  would 
be  benefited  by  a  course  in  your  school.     This  mailing-list  you 
would  circularize  from  time  to  time  by  mailing  to  each  name  a 
piece  of  printed  matter,  describing  the  school  and  its  work.     This 
printed  matter  would  be  sent  out  in  bulk  to  every  name  on  the  list, 
as  that  is  the  way  circularizing  is  generally  done.     As  you  receive 
replies  asking  for  further  and  more  detailed  information,  you  would 
make  out  another  form  of  card  and  transfer  these  names  to  the 
personal   follow-up  list. 


224  STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 

FOLLOW-UP  SYSTEM 

The  third  drawer  of  the  No.  29  section  would  be 
labeled  "  Follow-up  "  and  should  contain  a  set  of  No.  40  card-index 
guides  and  200  cards  with  printed  form.     This  is  your  personal 
and  individual  follow-up  system,  and  contains  names  only  of  students 
who  have  manifested  some  interest  in  the  work  of  the  school. 
These  you   individually  follow  up  by  letters  or  personal  calls. 
The  cards  are  indexed  alphabetically  and  cross-indexed  by  date, 
for  which  purpose  you  use  movable  metal  tabs  or  indicators,  which 
may  be  moved  along  the  top  of  the  card  to  indicate  the  date  of 
follow-up. 

Just  as  fast  as  prospective  students  advise  you  that  they  have 
decided  not  to  take  your  course,  or  have  agreed  to  begin  on  a  certain 
date,  you  transfer  the  card  from  the  follow-up  system  to  one  or  the 
other  of  the  two  remaining  drawers,  one  of  which  is  labeled 
"  Students  "  and  the  other  "  Closed." 

STUDENTS 

The  fourth  drawer  of  the  No.  29  section  is  labeled 
"  Students  "  and  contains  a  set  of  No.  40  card-index  guides  and  200 
printed   cards.     All   the   cards   in   this   drawer   are  indexed 
alphabetically  by  students'  names,  and  represent  the  present 
membership  of  your  school.     Each  card  will  show  the  date  the 
student  became  such,  a  slight  indication  of  his  past  history  and 
record,  the  payments  of  his  tuition,  and  any  other  notes  that  may 
give  the  principal  some  light  on  his  (the  student's)  work  or  progress. 

After  a  prospective  student  has  been  followed  up 
for  a  certain  length  of  time  and  then  advises  you  that  he  has 
decided  not  to  take  the  course,  you  transfer  his  card  to  another 
drawer  labeled  "  Closed." 

CLOSED 

The  fifth   drawer   of  the  No.  29  section   is   labeled 
"  Closed  "  and  contains  a  set  of  No.  40  guide-cards  and  200  printed 
cards.     This  contains  all  the  cards  that  have  been  removed  from 
the  follow-up  system  when  it  has  been  definitely  determined  cor- 
respondents cannot  be  persuaded  to  take  the  course.     These  cards 
are  printed  forms  which  have  been  transferred  to  this  drawer  from 
the  drawer  labeled   "  Follow-Up   System." 

CONCLUSION 

We  have  outlined  this  system  just  as  clearly  as  is 
now  possible.      While  it  is  true  that  we  have  not  explained  the 
matter  as  fully  as  we  might,  we  hope  that  you  will  indicate  any 
points  about  which  you  are  not  certain,  and  give  us  an 
opportunity  to  explain  further. 

The  complete  cost  of  the  cabinet  is  as  follows  : 

1  No.   12  Top $3.25 

1     „     29  Section  8.25 

1     ,,      19  Combination  Section  . .  . .         6.50 

1     ,,     54  Vertical  „ 13.50 

I      .,        2  Sanitary  base  4.75 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH  225 

CORRESPONDENCE 
1  set  No.  25  Direct  Name  guides,  including  100  right-cut  folders     $2.55 

CATALOGUES 
1   set  No.  25  Pressboard  guides,  not  celluloided  or  numbered       1.50 

UNFILLED  ORDERS 
1   set  Loose-sheet  indexed  A  to  Z  No.  248 35 

MAILING-LIST 

1   set  No.  80  Guides,  heavy  buff,  5  x  3  65 

500  Cards  No.  2253,  stock  horizontal  ruled 1.10 

FOLLOW-UP 

1  set  No.  40  Card-index  guides,  buff,  heavy   . .          . .          . .  .35 

200  Cards  No.  2253,  Form  364  Follow-up  Record 45 

100  Blue  Indicators  60 

STUDENTS 

1   set  No.  40  Guides  35 

200  Cards,  Form  03  45 

CLOSED 

1  set  No.  40  Guides,  buff,  heavy,  for  5  x  3  cards 35 

200  Cards,  Form  03  45 


Total $45.40 

Hoping  to  be  favored  with  your  order,  we  are 
Yours  very  truly, 


Second  Card- System  Narrative 

1  Messrs.  Hardman  &  Co.,  of  Chicago,  a  small  mail-order  house, 
wish  to  reform  their  methods  of  filing  their  correspondence.     They 
write  to  The  American  Mfg.  Co.,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  manufacturers 
of  filing  devices,  to  submit  a  description  of  a  model  equipment  for 
that  purpose,  together  with  instructions  as  to  its  use. 

2  The  company  in  their  reply  mention  that  their  estimate  and 
instructions  are  based  upon  an  assumed  correspondence  of   100 
letters  a  day.     They  describe  briefly  the  object  to  be  achieved  by 
each  device,  and  show  how,  by  following  instructions,  the  purpose 
may  be  effected  more  rapidly  and  surely  than  by  any  other  method. 


226  STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS  ENGLISH 

THE    AMERICAN    MFG.    CO. 
CARD-SYSTEM  DEVICES 

Rochester,    N.    Y.,  May  30,   1912. 
Messrs.  Hardman    &  Co., 
Chicago,  111. 

Gentlemen  : 

In  reply  to  your  letter  of  recent  date,  regarding  your 
present  method  of  filing  your  correspondence  and  following  up 
prospective  customers,  and  keeping  track  of  regular  customers, 
we  take  pleasure  in  suggesting  the  following  system  : 

You  will  require  a  filing-cabinet  for  holding  your 
correspondence  and  records  made  up  of  the  following  sections  : 

1  No.    12  Top. 

1       ,,52  Glass-door  Storage  Section. 

1       ,,30  Card  Section 

1       ,,60  Vertical     „ 

1       ,,59  Vertical     „ 

1       „       6  Sanitary  Base. 


Correspondence 

We  note  you  handle  about  100  letters  a  day,  and  we 
assume  that  60  per  cent,  of  these  are  letters  received  from  your 
customers,  and  40  per  cent,  are  copies  of  replies.     We  suggest, 
first  of  all,  that  you  abandon  your  present  method  of  copying 
your  outgoing  letters  in  letter-books  and  adopt  the  roller  copying 
process  or  the  carbon  manifolding,  either  of  which  will  give  you  a 
separate  copy  that  may  be  attached  to  the  letter  to  which  it 
replies. 

For  the  mail-order  business  there  is  no  better  method 
of  indexing  than  the  geographical.     We  suggest  that  your  four 
vertical  drawers,  which  represent  filing  capacity  for  approximately 
one  year,  be  equipped  with  a  set  of  index-guides  for  all  the  States 
from  Alabama  to  Wyoming  (removing  the  index-guides  of  such 
States  in  which  you,  at  present,  have  no  correspondence),  and  divicl*' 
these  guides  into  four  parts,  placing  the  guides  for  "  Ala.  to  111." 
in  the  first  drawer  ;  those  for  "Ind.  to  N.  H."  in  the  second,  those  for 
"  N.  J.  to  R.  I."  in  the  third,  and  those  for  "  S.  C.  to  Wyo."  in  the 
fourth. 

Behind  each  State  index  place  a  set  of  alphabetical 
guides  of  25  parts  or  40  parts  or  80  parts  (depending  upon  the 
amount  of  correspondence  you  have  in  each  State),  for  indexing  by 
towns,  alphabetically.     For  example,  back  of  the  guide  for  New 
York  State  you  would  undoubtedly  require  a  set  of  No.  80  indexes. 
All  correspondence  for  Buffalo  would  be  indexed  behind  the  guide 
"  Bu-By."     All  correspondence  for  Batavia  would  be  indexed 
behind  the  guide  "  Bas-Baz."     Separate  folders  would  be  made  for 
each  firm  in  Buffalo  and  Batavia,  with  the  name  of  the  firm  written 
on  the  tab  of  the  folder. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH  227 


The  advantage  of  geographical  indexing  for  mail-ordei 
houses  is  that  the  arrangement  of  your  correspondence  and  other 
papers  follows  closely  the  actual  layout  of  your  selling  territory. 
By  referring  to  the  index  for  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  you  will  find  in  the 
files  all  the  correspondence  that  you  ever  had  in  that  town 
collected  in  one  place.     This  is  a  great  convenience  in  looking  up 
the  sales  possibilities  of  different  localities. 

The    Card- System    and    Mailing- Lists 

The  No.  30  section  contains  15  drawers  for  5x3  cards. 
We  suggest  that  you  card  all  your  various  mailing-lists,  labeling  the 
different    drawers    accordingly ;  such  as,    the   first    drawer 
"  Manufacturers,"    second    drawer    "  Miscellaneous,"    third    drawer 
"  Retail  Dealers,"  fourth  drawer  "  Lawyers,"  fifth  drawer 
"  Physicians,"  etc.     This  would  mean  putting  all  your  mailing-lists 
on  cards  for  circularizing  purposes.     We  estimate  that  you  would 
require  10  or  12  drawers  for  these  mailing-lists,  leaving  three  or 
four  drawers  for  the  follow-up  system.     We  suggest  your  mailing-list 
be  written  on  5  x  3  cards,  stock  horizontally  ruled,  as  per  sample, 
and  be  indexed  by  alphabetical  guides  for  States  and  Towns. 

Follow-up  System 

Label  one  of  the  card-drawers  "  Prospective  Customers," 
and  place  therein  a  set  of  State  guides,  or  a  large  set  of  alphabetical 
guides  for  indexing  by  towns.     Just  as  soon  as  a  person  in  your 
mailing-list  responds  and  asks  for  information,  remove  the  card 
from  the  mailing-list  section  and  make  out  a  printed  card  for  the 
follow-up  system.     This  card  should  be  printed  according  to  form 
attached.     A  metal  tab  should  be  attached  to  the  card  to  indicate 
the  follow-up  date.     A  record  of  all  letters  written  and  all  letters 
received  should  be  made  on  the  card. 

Closed  File  and  Customers 

The  other  two  drawers  will  be  labeled  "  Closed  "  and 
"  Customers  "  respectively.     When  you  have  followed  up  a 
prospect  to  the  point  where  you  can  get  no  further  reply  and  no  sale 
of  goods  has  been  made,  remove  the  card  from  the  follow-up 
system  and  place  it  in  the  drawer  marked  "  Closed."    All  follow-ups 
that  result  in  sales  should  be  placed  in  the  drawer  marked 
"  Customers."     Both  of  these  drawers  should  be  indexed  with  a  set  of 
State  guides,  or  a  large  set  of  alphabetical  guides  for  filing  by  towns. 

Glass-Door  Storage  Section 

This  section  should  be  used  for  filing  directories,  such  as 
telephone  and  street  directories,  and  other  volumes  from  which 
mailing-lists  may  be  obtained.     It  may  also  be  used  for  the 
filing  of  catalogues. 

We  trust  the  information  given  will  enable  you  to 
understand  how  the  system  operates.     If  there  are  any  points  we 
have  not  made  clear  kindly  let  us  know  and  we  shall  be  glad  to  go 
further  into  the  matter. 

Yours  very  truly, 


CHAPTER   XIX 

APPENDIX 
A.     Review  Questions  on  the  Appendix 

1  For  which  class   of  professional  men   is  the  title   "  Esq." 
proper  ?     (Charles  W.  Towne,  Esq.) 

2  May  "  Esq."  be  used  when  the  name  is  preceded  by  "  Mr."  ? 
(Mr.  Henry  Canning,  Esq.) 

3  What  do  these  signs  signify  : 

4x6;    2'  x  4"  ;    20°  10'  12'  ? 

4  What  do  "  do."  or  "  id."  mean  ? 

5  What  do  "  i.e.,"  "  viz.",  and  "  e.g."  mean  ? 

6  What  does  "  15,  10,  and  5  "  (trade  discounts)  mean  ? 

7  What  do  "  42  yd.,  714  lb.,  18 10  ft.,  38 7  fur."  mean  ? 

8  What  does  ^  after  figures  mean  (49  #)  ? 

9  What  does  2/10  n/30  mean  ? 

10  How  are  these  named  :    e  e  e  e  ? 

11  Are  Roman  numerals  followed  by  periods  ?     Charles  XII 
Chap.  IV  A.  D.  MCMIX. 

12  In  manuscript  what  is  meant  by  three  lines  drawn  under  a 
word,  as,  times  ;  two  lines,  as  chapter  ;   one  line,  as  seabird  ? 

13  What  is  the  usage  of  the  dieresis  (..)  ? 

To  indicate  that  the  second  of  two  adjacent  vowels  is  to  be 
pronounced  separately  ;    not  used  in  typewriting. 

14  What  indicates  in  the  body  of  the  manuscript  that  there  is  a 
reference  note  at  the  bottom  of  the  page  ? 

15  What  is  meant  by  an  assignment  ?  by  endorse  ?  by  bomts  ? 

228 


STYLE-BOOK    OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


229 


B.     How  do  you  define?  — 


1  cwt. 

2  pro  tern. 

3  v.  or  vs. 

4  Smith  et  al. 

5  bona  fide 

6  P.  S.  or  postscriptum 

7  N.  B.  or  nota  bene 

8  via 

9  per  M. 

10  per  diem 

11  Anno  Domini 

12  Chapter  or  Part  VIII 

13  quorum 

14  ss.  or  scilicet 

15  s.s. 

16  incognito 

17  vice  versa 

13  Which  of  the  following 
are  correct  ? 

1  Four  cow's  for  sale 

2  Mens'  and  childrens'  shoes 

3  Merchants'   &  Bankers'  Co. 

4  The  house  and  it's  roof 

5  This  is  to  be  paid  in  two  weeks' 

time 

6  He  has  many  years  experience 

7  This  happened  last  New  Year's 


19  ad  valorem 

20  alias 

21  antedate 

22  bear  and  bull  (in  speculation) 

23  caveat  emptor  ! 

24  cent. 

25  contraband 

26  f.  o.  b. 

27  mandamus 

28  C.  O.  D. 

29  ad. 

30  sine  die 

31  ream 

32  vendor 

33  stet 

34  pro  forma  invoice 

35  quasi 

36  ante  mortem 

37  post  mortem 

38  facsimile 

39  alibi 

40  Al 

41  verbatim 


230 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


APPENDIX 

i.   ABBREVIATIONS    OF   COMMERCIAL    TERMS,    ETC. 


Ai 

,    First-class 

A.  B..., 

.  ,  Able-bodied,  Bachelor  of  Arts 

ab  init. 

.  .Ab  initio  (from  the  beginning) 

Abp  
A.  C.    .. 

.  .  Archbishop 
.  .Ante  Christum  (before  Christ) 

acct.,  % 

.  .Account,  accountant 

A.  D 

..Anno  Domini  (in  the  year  of  our 

Lord) 

a.  d  

,  .After  date 

ad  

.  .  Advertisement 

ad  inif.  . 
ad  int.  .  . 

.  .Ad  infinitum  (to  infinity) 
.  .Ad  interim  (in  the  meantime) 

ad  lib.... 

.Ad  libitum  (at  pleasure) 

Jfc  :::: 

..Agent 
.  .  Alabama 

A.  M 

.Master  of  Arts 

a.  m. 

,  .Ante  meridiem  (before  noon) 

Adm  

.  .  Admiral 

Ad  ns.  .  .  . 

.  Administrator 

Ad-nx.  .  . 

.  Administratrix 

amt  

.  Amount 

ans  

.  Answer 

Ariz 

.  Arizona 

Ark  

.  Arkansas 

Assn  

.Association 

Asst.    ... 

.  Assistant 

At  

.  Attorney 

Aug  

.  August 

Ave. 

Avenue 

av  

.  Avoirdupois  ;    average 

B 

bal    ,, 

.  Balance 

bbl.,  brl.. 

.  Barrel 

B.C.    ... 

.Before  Christ 

bds  

.Bound  in  boards 

bgs  

.Bags 

b.  1  

.Bill  of  lading 

bk  

.  bank  ;    book 

—  -bldg.    ... 

.  Building 

-  t)ona  fide 

.In  good  faith 

b.  p  

.  Bills  payable  ;   bill  of  parcels 

Bp  

.Bishop 

b.  rec.    .  . 

.Bills  receivable 

Bro  

.Brother 

b.  s  

Bill  of  sale 

bu.,  bus.. 
B.  V.  M.. 

.Bushel,  bushels 
.Blessed  Virgin  Mary 

C Catholic,  Centigrade,  Chairman, 

chancellor,  chief,  church,  Court 

c Cent,  centime,  centimeter,  centum, 

century,  chapter,  circum,  circa, 
circiter  (about),  court,  cubic 

ca Cases 

Calif California 

Can Canada 

cap Capital  letter 

Cap.,  Capt.Captain 

cat Catalogue 

C.  C Circuit  Court,  County  Court, 

County  clerk,  County  Commis- 
sioner, Civil  Court 

c.  c Contra  credit  • 

Cath Catholic 

Cent. .....  Centigrade,  Central  • 

cent Central,  centum,  century 

cf .'' Compare 


c.  f.  &  i. 


Chanc.  . 
C.  H.... 
Civ.  ... 
eld  ..... 
cm  ..... 
cml  ..... 
c.  o  ..... 
C.  O.  D. 
Col.  ... 
Colo.  .. 
Com.  .. 


con  ..... 

Conn.  .. 
Cor.  Sec. 
C.  P.  . 


cs 

C.  S.  . . . 
csk.  ... 
ct.  ., 


c.  w.  o. 

cwt 


.  .Cost,  freight,  and  insurance 

.  .  Centigram 

..Charles,  Chief,  China,  Church 

.  .  Chancellor 

.  .Court  House,  Custom  House 

.  .Civil,  civilian 

..Cleared 

.  .  Centimeter 

.  .commercial 

.  .Care  of 

.  .  Collect  on  delivery 

.  .Colonel,  Colossians 

.  .  Colorado 

..Commander,     Commission,     Com- 

modore 

.  .  Contra  (against) 
.  .  Connecticut 
..Corresponding  Secretary 
.  .Clerk  of  the  Peace,  Common  Pleas. 

Court     of     Probate,     Code     of 

Procedure 
..Cases  (common) 
.  .  Civil  Service,  Court  of  Sessions 
..Cask 

..Cent,  centum 
.Cash  with  order 
Hundredweight 


Dak .Dakota 

D.   B Day-book 

d&wtf... Daily  and  weekly  until  forbidden 
D.  C District  of  Columbia,  Deputy  Con- 
sul, District  Court 

d.  d Days  after  date 

Dec December 

def.,  dft... Defendant 

deg Degree 

Del Delaware 

Dep.,Dept.Department,  deponent,  deputy 

dft Draft 

dg Decigram 

diam Diameter 

diff Difference 

disc.,  disct.Discount 

D.  L.  O.    .Dead  Letter  Office 

dm Decimeter 

do Ditto,  the  same 

dol Dollars 

doz Dozen 

-  Dr Debtor,  doctor 

dr Dram,  drawer 

Dram.  Pers.Dramatis  peraonae  (persons  of  the 

drama) 
d.  s Days'  sight 

d.  t Delirium  tremens 

dwt A  pennyweight 

E 

E East,  Earl,  Edward,  English 

ea Each 

Ed Editor 

ed.,  edit..  .Edited,  edition 

Edw Edward,  Edwin 

E.  E Errors  excepted 

e.  g. Exempli  gratia  (for  example) 

E.  Ion.  . .  .East  longitude 

Eng England,  English 

eng Engineer 

eod Every  other  day 


STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


231 


Epis.,Episc.Episcopal 

eq Equal,  equivalent 

Esq Esquire 

est Established 

et  al Et  alibi  (and  elsewhere),  et  alii  or 

aliae  (and  others) 

etc Et  cetera  (and  so  forth) 

et  seq Et  sequentes  (and  the  following) 

ex Examined,     example,     exception, 

executive,  export 

Exc Excellency 

Exch Exchange 

Ex.  com.  .  Executive  Committee 

ex  cp Extra  (without)  coupon 

ex  div Extra  (without)  dividend 

Exec.,  Exr.Executor 
Execx.,  Exrx.Executrix 


id. ' Idem  (the  same) 

i.  e Id  est  (that  is) 

111 Illinois 

imp Imperial,  importer,  imprimatur  (let 

it  be  printed) 

in Inch 

inc Incorporated 

incognito  .Unknown 

Ind.  T.    .  .Indian  Territory 

Ins Inspector  ;    Insurance 

inst Instant  (present),  institute,  insti- 
tution 

int Interest. 

in  trans.    .  In  transitu  (in  course  of  transit) 

inv Invented,  inventor,  invoice 

I.  O.  U.  .  .1  owe  you  (promissory  note) 


F Fahrenheit,  Fellow,  Friday 

f , .  .Farthing,  fathom,  feminine,  florin, 

franc,  folio,  foot 

f.  a.  a Free  of  all  average 

Fah.,  Fahr.Fahrenheit 

fcp Foolscap 

Feb February 

fern Feminine 

fig Figure,  figuratively 

f .  g.  a. . .    .  Free  of  general  average 

Fin.  Sec    .Financial   Secretary 
fir.'...      .Firkin 

fo.,  fol.      .Folio 

f .  o.  b. .      .  Free  on  board 

f .  p.  a. .      .  Free  of  particular  average 

ft.  ....     .Foot 

fur Furlong 


&.". 


Gen. 
g-  gr. 


G.  P. 

gr.    • 
gt.    • 


Genitive,  gram,  guinea 

Georgia 

Gallon 

Great  Britain 

General,  Genesis 

Great,  gross 

Gills 

Government,  governor 

O.  ..General  Post-office 

Grain,  gram,  grammar,  gross 

Drop 


hab 

hdkf 

hf 

hg 

hhd 

H.  I 

hi 

hm 

ho 

h.  p 

H.  R 

ht 

hund 


Hydrogen 

Harbor,  height,  hence,  hour,  hun- 

dred, husband 
Habitat 
Handkerchief 
Half 

Hectogram 
Hogshead 
Hawaiian  Islands 
Hektoliter 
Hektometer 
House 

Horse-power 

House  of  Representatives 
Height 
Hundred 


I. Idaho,  iodine,  island 

la Iowa 

ib.,  ibid.    .Ibidem  (in  the  same  place) 
Ida Idaho 

1 6— (400) 


J/a 

Jan 

Jn.,  June.. 

jour 

jr.,  jun....J 


udge,  Justice  (JJ.,  plura') 

oint  account 

anuary 

unction 

ournal 

unior 


Kan.,Kans.  Kansas 

kgs Kegs 

kilo Kilogram,  kilometer 

Ky Kentucky 


Latitude,  league,  length,  leave,  line, 

liter,  long,  lake 

Ib Pound 

1.  c.,  1/c.  ..Letter     of     credit,    lower      case 

(type) 

L.  or  £  . .  .£   s.   d.        Librae,   solidi,   denarit 
(pounds,  shillings,  and  pence) 

lib Book 

L.  I.      ...Long Island 


M Marquis,  member,  middle,  mille 

(one  thousand),  Monsieur 

m Married,  masculine,  measure,  meri- 
diem (noon),  meter,  mill,  minim, 
minute 

Mar March 

mas.,  masc.Masculine 


auras*  . 

m.  d.  . 

.  Buapwaiaaeiig 

.Months  after  date 

Mile. 

.Mademoiselle 

Mme.. 

.  Madame 

mdse. 

.  Merchandise 

Me.  .. 

.Maine 

Messrs 

VlM.Messieurs  (gentlemen  ;  sirs) 

mfd.  . 

.  Manufactured 

-mfg.  . 

.  Manufacturing 

mfrs. 

.  Manufacturers 

mfs.  .  . 

.  Manufactures 

mg.    . 

.miligram 

Mgr.  . 

.  Monsignor 

Minn. 

.  Minnesota 

Miss. 
Mo.    . 

.  Mississippi 
.Missouri 

mo.    . 

.Month 

Mont. 
Mr 

.Montana 
Mister  (Master) 

Mrs Missis  (Mistress) 

MS.,  MSS.  Manuscript,  manuscripts 
m.  s Months  after  sight 


232 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


N Nitrogen,  North,  northern,  Norse 

n Nail,   natus    (born),   neuter,    new, 

nomen,  nominative,  noon,  note, 

noun,  number 
N..  B New  Brunswick,  nota   bene   (note 

well) 

n.  d No  date 

N.  Dak.  .  .North  Dakota 

Neb.,  Nebr.Nebraska 

nem.  con.  No  one  contradicting 

Nev Nevada 

N.  F Newfoundland 

N.  G National  Guard 

n.  g No  good 

N.  H New  Hampshire 

N.  J New  Jersey 

N.  Mex.  .  .New  Mexico 

No North,  numero  (number) 

n.  o.  p.  . .  .Not  otherwise  provided  for 
nol.  pros.  .  Unwilling  to  prosecute 
non  seq.  .  .It  does  not  follow 

Nov November 

N.  S Nova  Scotia,  New  Style 

n.  s Not  specified 

N.  Y New  York 


O Ohio,  oxygen 

Oct October 

O.  K All  correct 

Ont Ontario 

o.  p Opposite  prompt,  out  of  print 

Or.,  Ore... Oregon 

O.  S Old  Style,  Old  Series 

oz Ounce 


Pa. 


—  Per 


per  diem 
P.E.  I.. 
per  cent. 
Phila 
P.  I 
Pk 

g*!::: 


P.  M.  G. 

—p.  m 
pm 
p.  n 
P.O 
P.  O.  D. 


P.Q 

£;,":: 

—  pro  tern. 


.Page,     part,     participle,     penny, 
population,  pipe 

.  Pennsylvania 
..Paid 

.  Panama 

.By,  by  the 
, .  By  the  day 

.  Prince  Edward  Island 
,  .By  the  hundred 
..Philadelphia 
, .  Philippine  Islands 
..Peck 
. .  Package 

..Place,  plate,  plural 
..Plaintiff 

. .  Past     Master,     paymaster,     post- 
master 

.  Postmaster-General 
, .  Post  meridiem  (afternoon) 
. .  Premium 
. .  Promissory  note 
. .  Post-office,  Province  of  Ontario 

.  Pay  on  delivery,  Post-office  Dept. 


.To  take  leave 

.Previous     question,     Province    of 

Quebec 

.Pair,  per,  price,  pronoun 
.  President 

.  Pro  tempore  (fof-the  time  being) 
.  Proximo  (next) 
.  Postscript 


p.  t Post-town 

pwt Pennyweight 


q Quasi,  query,  question,  quintal 

qr.,  qa.    . .  Quarter,  quire 

q.  s Sufficient  quantity 

qt Quart,  quantity 

Que Quebec 

quorum. .  .The  numbers  of  members  required 

to  conduct  a  meeting 
q.  v Which  see,  as  much  as  you  will 


R Railway,  response,  retired 

r Resides,  right,  rod,  rood,  rupee 

R.  C Roman  Catholic 

rcpt., -R-.    .Receipt 

re In  regard  to 

reed Received 

Rec.  Sec.  .  Recording  Secretary 

rev Revise,  revised,  revision 

Rev Reverend 

r.  h Right  hand 

R.  I Rhode  Island 

rm Ream 

rpt Report 

R.  R Railroad 

R.  S.    Recording  Secretary,  Revised  Sta- 
tutes 

r.  s.,  rs.. .  .Right  side,  rupees 
R.  W.,  Ry.  Railway 


S 

S.A.    . 


S.  C.  .  . 
S.  C.  .  . 
s.  c.,sm 
sc.,  scil. 
sch.  .. 
scr.  .  .  . 
s.  d.... 
S.  Dak. 
Sen.... 
-Sept.  . 

V"" 

sld. 
s.  o. 
sol. 


SS  ..... 
ss  ..... 

-  s.  s. 
St.    ... 
st  ..... 
s.  t. 
Ste.    .. 
ster.  .  .  . 
sup.  .  .  . 

Supt.  .  . 
S.  V.    . 


. .  .Sabbath,    saint,    Saxon,    society, 

south,  sun 
...South     America,     S.     Africa,     S. 

Australia 
...Second,    section,   see,   series,    set, 

shilling,  snow,  son,  soprano 
...Supreme  Court 
...South  Carolina 
.  c.  Small  capitals 
. .  .Scilicet  (namely),  scene 
...Schooner 
. .  .Scruple 

. .  .Sine  die  (without  day) 
. .  .South  Dakota 
. .  .Senate,  senator,  senior 
. . .  September 
. .  .Specific  gravity 
...Shilling 
...Sailed 
...Sellers'  option 
...Solution 
...Square 
. .  .Senior 
...Saints 
. .  .Scilicet  (to  wit) 
...Steamship 
. .  .Saint,  street,  strait 
. . .  Stanza,  stet,  stone,  strophe 
...Short  ton 
. . .  Saint  (feminine) 
. .  .Sterling 
...Superfine,     superior,     supplement, 

supreme 

. . .  Superintendent 
. . .  Sons  of  Veterans 


p's. 

pt Part,  payment,  pint 


T Territory,  Testament 

t Tenor,  thunder,  tome,  ton,  town,  tui 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


233 


tc Tierce 

Term Tennessee 

Tex Texas 

tf Till  forbidden 

t.  i.  d.    ...  Ter  in  die  (three  times  a  day) 

tr Translation,  transpose 

Treas.    . .  .Treasurer,  Treasury 


U.  K United  Kingdom 

ult Ultimo  (last) 


W 

Wash. 
W.  I... 
Wis.  . . 

wf 

whf.  . 
Wt.... 
W.  Va. 
Wyo... 


W 

.West,  warden 
.  Washington 
.West  Indies 
.  Wisconsin 
.Wrong  fount  (in 
,  Wharf 
.Weight 
.West  Virginia 
.  Wyoming 


printing) 


V Venerable,    vice,    Victoria,    violin,  xcp 

viscount,  volunteers  XX 

v Verb,  verse,  versus  (against),  vide 

(see),  village,  volume 

Va Virginia 

Val Value  „ 

via By  way  of  V^V 

v.  d Various  dates 

vice  versa. The  reverse 

vid See 

Vt Vermont 

viz Videlicet  (to  wit,  namely) 

-Vol Volume  z.    .. 

-  vs Versus,  against  Zool. 


.Without  exception 
.Double  extra 


yr.   . 
Yuc. 


.Yard,  year 

.Yards 

.Year,  younger,  your 

.  Yucatan 


Z 


.Zero,  zone 
.Zoology 


SIGNS  AND  FIGURES 


$ Dollar 

£ Pound  sterling 

/ Shilling;    as  2/6,  2  shillings  and 

6  pence 

% Per  cent. 

@ (i)  At,  as,  9  Ibs.  @  $ i.oo  ;    (a)  To, 

as    4   gals.    $2.45     <g)    $2.bo    a 

gallon 

At    First-class 

b/1  or  B/L  Bill  of  Lading 

a/c Account 

cM(;.,orct.  Cent 

A Caret 

c/o Care  of 

1/c Letter  of  credit 

V  Per 

#24   No.  24 

24  #   24  Ibs. 

4to  or  4° . .  Quarto 
8vo  or  8°  .Octavo 


i2mo  or  i2°Twelvemo 

& Et  (Latin),  meaning  "  and  " 

&c And  so  forth  ;  et  cetera 

11 Paragraph 

|| Parallel 

0  '  * Deg.  min.  sec. 

2'  4"    ...  .Two  ft.  four  in. 

x Multiplied  by 

=  —  —    .  Capitals,  small  capitals,  italic 

e  e  6  e . . .  .Grave,  circumflex,  acute,  dieresis 

2/10    "/3o     Two  per  cent,  discount  in  ten  days  ; 

net  amount  in  thirty  days 
42  yd ....  Four  yards,  two  quarters 

7  I4  Ib Seven  pounds,  fourteen  ounces 

i8luft.  ...Eighteen  feet,  ten  inches 

38  ?  fur.  ..Thirty-eight  furlongs,  seven  roods 

/i One  and  one-fourth 

/2 One  and  one-half 

/3 One  and  three- fourths 


DEGREES, 

The  use  of  degrees  is  mostly  confined  to  printed 
pages — title-pages  ;  they  are  seldom  used  in 
correspondence.  Every  one  is  entitled  to 
"  Mr."  ;  "  Esq."  is  generally  restricted  to 
lawyers  and  justices  of  the  peace.  It  is  not 
preceded  by  "  Mr." 

A.  A .Associate  of  Arts 

A.  B Bachelor  of  Arts 

A.M.     ...Master  of  Arts 
A.  O.  F.  .  .Ancient  Order  of  Foresters 
A.  O.  H. ..Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians 
A.  R.  U. ..American  Railway  Union 

A.  S.  P.  C.  A.  American   Society  for  the   Pre- 

vention of  Cruelty  to  Animals 

B.  C.  or  B.  C.  S.  Bachelor  of  Commerce 
B.  C.  L.  .  .Bachelor  of  Civil  Law 

B.  D Bachelor  of  Divinity 

B.  L Bachelor  of  Laws 

B.  S Bachelor  of  Science 


ETC. 

B.  L.  E.  . .  Brotherhood    of    Locomotive    En- 

gineers 

C.  A Chartered  Accountant 

C.  E Civil  Engineer 

C.  J Chief  Justice 

C.  O.  S Charity  Organization  Society 

C.  S.  A Confederate  States  of  America 

D.  C.  L.  .  .Doctor  of  Civil  Law 

D.  C.  S.  .  .Deputy  Clerk  of  Sessions 

D.  D Doctor  of  Divinity 

D.  D.  S.  .  .Doctor  of  Dental  Surgery 

D.  F Defender  of  the  Faith,  Dean  of  the 

Faculty 
D.  G Dei    Gratia  (by   the  grace  of   the 

Lord) 

D.  M Doctor  of  Music 

D.  P Doctor  of  Philosophy 

D.  S Doctor  of  Science 

F.  A.  M.    .Free  and  Accepted  Masons 
F.  B Fenian  Brotherhood 


234 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


G.  A.  R.    .Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 

G.  M Grand  Master 

G.  P.  M.    .Grand  Past  Master 
H.  B.  M..  .His  (or  Her)  Britannic  Majesty 
H.  H.          His  Highness,  His  Holiness 
H.  I.  H.  ..His  (or  Her)  Imperial  Majesty 

H.  M His  (or  Her)  Majesty 

H.  M.  S.    .His  (or  Her)  Majesty's  Ship 
H.  R.  H.  .His  (or  Her)  Royal  Highness 
I.  O.  G.  T.  Independent  Order  of  Good  Tem- 
plars 

I.  O.  O.  F.  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
J.  A.  G.  .  .Judge  Advocate  General 
I.  O.  R.  M.  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men 

K.  G Knight  of  the  Garter 

K.  of  H.    .  Knights  of  Honor 
K.  of  L.  . .  Knights  of  Labor 

K.  P Kni-hts  of  St.  Patrick 

L.  A.  W. . .  League  of  American  Wheelmen 

L.  C.  J Lord  Chief  Justice 

LL.  B.  . . .  Bachelor  of  Laws 
LL.  D.  ...Doctor  of  Laws 

M.  A Master  of  Arts 

M.  B Bachelor  of  Medicine 

M.  C Master  of  Ceremonies,  Member  of 

Congress 


M.  C.  E.    .Master  of  Civil  Engineering 

M.  D Doctor  of  Medicine 

M.  M.  E..  .Master  of  Mining  Engineering 

M.  P Member  of  Parliament 

Mr Mister  (Master) 

Mrs Missis  (Mistress) 

Mus.  B Bachelor  of  Music 

Mus.  D.  .  .Doctor  of  Music 

M.  W.    . .  .Most  Worshipful,  Most  Worthy 

N.  P Notary  Public 

P.  B Bachelor  of  Philosophy 

P.  G.  M.    .  Past  Grand  Master 

Ph.  D Doctor  of  Philosophy 

Ph.  G Graduate  in   Pharmacy 

Q.  S Quarter  Sessions 

R.  N Royal  Navy 

Rt.  Hon.  .Right    Honorable 

S.  P.  C Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Crime 

S.  P.  C.  C.  Society    for    the     Prevention    of 

Cruelty  to  Children 

V.  S Veterinary  Surgeon 

V.  W Very  Worshipful 

W.  C.  T.  U.  Women's    Christian    Temperance 

Union 

Y.  M.  C.  A.  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso. 
Y.  W.  C.  A.  Young  Women's  Christian  Asso. 


Foreign  Coins 


Countries. 
Argentina 
Austria-Hungary 
Belgium 
Bolivia 

Brazil  . .          . .          '. . 

North  America  (except  New- 
foundland) 
British  Honduras 
Costa  Rica 
Guatemala 
Honduras 
Nicaragua 
Salvador 

Chile  

Chinese  Empire 
Colombia 
Denmark 
Ecuador 

Egypt  

Finland 
France 

German  Empire 
Great  Britain 
Greece 

Haiti  

India 

Italy  

Japan  

Liberia 


Standard. 


Monetary  unit. 


Gold      Peso 
do         Crown 
do         Franc 
do 
do 


Boliviano 
Milreis 


Dollar  .  . 
do     .. 
Colon    . 


Silver  Peso 


do 

Tael — about    . . 

Dollar  . .          . .          . 

Crown 

Sucre 

Pound  (100  piasters) 

Mark 

Franc 

Mark 

Pound  sterling 

Drachma 

Gourde 

Pound  sterling 

Lira 

Yen 

Dollar  . . 


Value. 

$0.965 
.203 
.193 
.389 
.546 

1.000 

1.000 

.465 


.391 

.363 
.605 
1.000 
.268 
.487 
4.943 
.193 
.193 
.238 
4.886| 
.193 
.965 
4.866J 
.193 
.498 
1.000 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


235 


Countries. 


Mexico 

Netherlands 

Newfoundland 

Norway 

Panama 

Persia 

Peru 

Philippine  Islands 

Portugal 

Russia 

Spain 

Straits  Settlements 

Sweden 

Switzerland  . . 

Turkey 

Uruguay 

Venezuela 


Standard.         Monetary  unit.  Value 

( Silver  Dollar (3) 

{ Gold  Peso 498 

do  Florin  402 

do  Dollar 1.014 

do  Crown  . .          . .          .  .        .268 

do  Balboa  1  000- 

Silver  Kran  072 

001(1  JLiLr     ::     ::     ::  4866* 

do  Peso 500 

do  Milreis  1.080 

do  Ruble  515 

do  Peseta 193 

do  Pound  sterling  . .          . .      4.866£ 

do  Crown  .  .          .  .          . .         .268 

do  Franc  ..          ..          ..         .193 

do  Piaster  044 

do  Peso     ..       ' 1.034 

do  Bolivar  .193 


236  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 

2.  Words  with  Troublesome  Endings 

WORDS   ENDING   IN    "  ISE  " 

Words  ending  with  the  sound  of  "  ize  "  are  variously  spelled 
"  ise  "  or  "  ize."  Of  this  class,  the  correct  spelling  of  the  following 
words  is  "  ise  " ;  nearly  all  others  take  "  ize  "  : 


advertise 

compromise 

emprise 

premise 

advise 

demise 

enfranchise 

reprise 

affranchise 

despise 

enterprise 

revise 

apprise 

devise 

exercise 

supervise 

chastise 

disfranchise 

exorcise 

surmise 

circumcise 

disguise 

franchise 

surprise 

comprise 

divertise 

merchandise 

PLURAL  OF  NOUNS  ENDING  IN  "  o  " 

In  order  to  avoid  making  an  error  in  the  plural  it  should  be 
memorized  that  if  a  consonant  precedes  the  "  o  "  then  "  es  "  is  the 
plural  form  of  the  noun.  The  exceptions  to  this  rule  are : 


albinos 

embryos 

octavos 

sextodecimos 

cantos 

halos 

octodecimos 

solos 

centos 

inamoratos 

pianos 

tobaccos 

didos 

juntos 

provisos 

twos 

dominos 

lassos 

quartos 

tyros 

duodecimos 

mementos 

salvos 

virtuosos 

dynamos 

merinos 

sextos 

zeros 

THE  USE  OF  "  EI' 
As  it  is  difficult  to  fix  in  mind  the  relative  position  of  "  e  "  and 
"  i  "  in  such  words  as  "  receive,"  "  believe,"  etc.,  the  following  rule 
may  save  the  trouble  of  referring  to  a  dictionary  : 

When  the  noun  ends  in  "  tion  "  the  verb  is  spelled  with  "  ei,"  as, 

conception  conceive 

reception  receive 

When  the  noun  does  not  end  in  "  tion  "  the  verb  is  spelled  with 
"  ie,"  as, 

belief  believe 

relief  relieve 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH  237 


The  general  rule  is  that  after  "  c  "  the  order  is  "  ei  "  ;  after  the 
other  letters  of  the  alphabet  the  order  is  variously  "  ie  "  or  "  ei." 

A  rule  on  "  ance  "  and  "  ence  "  is  of  no  great  use  to  a  person 
unacquainted  with  Latin — but  there  is  a  rule. 

Verbs  of  the  first  conjugation  in  Latin  which  have  their  infini- 
tives in  "  are/'  have  their  present  participles  in  "  ans,"  and 
their  English  derivatives  are  "  ant  "  and  "  ance  "  words,  as 
consonant,  consonance,  etc. 

Verbs  of  the  other  three  Latin  conjugations  have  their  present 
participles  in  "  ens  "  and  their  English  derivatives  end  in  "  ent  " 
and  "  ence/'  as  dependent,  dependence,  etc. 

WORDS   ENDING   IN    "  ANCE  " 

acquaintance  countenance  nuisance 

alliance  defiance  pittance 

annoyance  deliverance  remittance 

appearance  elegance  resistance 

cognizance  forbearance  sustenance 

compliance  fragrance  temperance 

concordance  grievance  utterance 

connivance  ignorance  variance 

conveyance  maintenance  vigilance 

WORDS  ENDING  IN -"ANT" 

abundant  defendant  petulant 

accountant  defiant  pleasant 

arrogant  discordant  poignant 

assailant  elegant  recreant 

assistant  exorbitant  reluctant 

attendant  important  stagnant 

clairvoyant  incessant  triumphant 

combatant  irrelevant  vagrant 

consonant  luxuriant  vigilant 

conversant  malignant  warrant 


238  STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


WORDS  ENDING  IN  "ENCE" 

abstinence               indigence 

prevalence 

competence             innocence 

reminiscence 

diffidence                intelligence 

residence 

diligence                  negligence 

reverence 

essence                     obedience 

vehemence 

existence                 occurrence 

violence 

WORDS  ENDING   IN 

"  ENT  " 

belligerent                dependent 

insolvent 

competent               despondent 

intermittent 

consistent                 expedient 

prevalent 

convalescent            impertinent 

proficient 

corpulent                 inclement 

recipient 

correspondent         independent 

superintendent 

WORDS  ENDING  IN  " 

'  EOUS  " 

aqueous                    hideous 

outrageous 

courteous                 instantaneous 

righteous 

erroneous                 miscellaneous 

simultaneous 

gaseous                     nauseous 

spontaneous 

WORDS  ENDING  IN  ' 

'  IOUS  " 

ceremonious            delirious 

impious 

copious                     dubious 

sacrilegious  > 

deleterious               impervious 

supercilious 

WORDS  ENDING  IN  " 

CIOUS  " 

avaricious                malicious 

suspicious 

capricious                pernicious 

tenaciotis 

conscious                  precocious 

vicious 

judicious                  sagacious 

WORDS  ENDING  IN  " 

TIOUS  " 

captious                    fictitious 

propitious 

conscientious           infectious 

sententious 

contentious             nutritious 

superstitious 

expeditious              ostentatious 

vexatious 

STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


239 


Glossary  of  Words  and  Phrases  used  in  Business, 
with  Illustrations 


— Al.     A  term  applied  to  the  best  quality. 

above  par.  When  the  price  of  stocks  is 
higher  than  their  face  value  they  are  above 
par. 

abstract  of  title.  A  record  of  one's  title  to 
an  estate. 

-  accept  a  bill.  To  accept  a  bill  is  to  write 
one's  name  across  the  face  of  it,  thereby 
engaging  to  pay  it  when  due. 

—  acceptor.    The  drawee  of  a  bill  of  exchange 
upon  writing  his  name  across  the  face  of  it 
thereby  engaging  to  pay  it  when  due  is  called 
the  acceptor. 

—  accommodation.  The  lending  of  one's  name 
or  credit  to  accommodate. 

—account.    A  statement  showing  the  amount 
due  by  one  person  to  another. 
— account  current.     A  statement,  drawn  out 
in  Dr.  and  Cr.  form,  containing  an  account  of 
the  transactions  between  two  parties. 
-account    sales.    An    account     sent     by    a 
merchant  to  the  consignor  of  goods,  showing 
the    weight   of    the    goods   sold,    the    prices 
obtained,  and  the  net  result  after  deducting 
'  the  freight,  commission,  etc. 
-   act  of  God.     Losses  incurred  by  earthquake, 
hurricanes,  or  other  unforeseen  natural  causes 
are  called  "  Acts  of  God  "  and  are  not  covered 
in  insurance  policies. 

ad  infmitum.    Without  limit. 

ad  interim.     In  the  meanwhile. 

adjustment.  An  insurance  term  for  the 
settlement  of  a  loss. 

ad  libitum.    At  pleasure. 

ad  valorem.  According  to  the  value  and 
not  to  the  weight  or  quantity.  The  customs 
ad  valorem  duty  is,  therefore,  a  charge  of  so 
much  per  cent,  made  on  the  value  of  certain 
articles  irrespective  of  weight  or  quantity. 

advance.  It  is  usual  on  receiving  an  invoice 
and  bill  of  lading  for  a  consignment  sent  for 
sale  to  pay  the  consignor  a  certain  portion  of 
the  value  of  the  goods,  this  payment  being 
called  an  "  advance." 

advice  note.  A  letter  giving  its  receiver 
information  either  that  some  particular  trans- 
action has  been  or  is  about  to  be  effected 
on  his  behalf.  It  is  usual  to  advise  the 
arrival  of  shipments,  the  despatch  of  goods, 
the  payment  of  accounts. 

affidavit.  A  declaration  sworn  to  before  a 
public  officer. 

— after  date.     A  term  used  in  drawing  bills  of 
exchange ;    after  date  of  the  bill. 
._  after  sight.    After   having    been  presented 
to  the  drawee  for  acceptance. 

alias.  Means  "  otherwise "  in  Latin  ;  an 
assumed  name. 

alibi.  A  person  in  court  proves  an  alibi 
when  he  shows  that  he  was  "  elsewhere  "  at 
the  time  and  place  stated  in  the  complaint. 

alien.    An  unnaturalized  foreigner. 

ampere.  Unit  of  current  in  measuring 
electricity. 

anno  Domini.    In  the  year  of  our  Lord. 

antedate.  To  write  the  date  previous  to 
the  present  date. 

ante  mortem.    Before  death. 


appraise.    To  set  a  price  upon. 

arbitrage.  A  name  given  to  stocks  bought 
in  one  market  and  sold  in  another. 

appreciate.    To  increase  in  value. 

arrears.  Amounts  remaining  unpaid  after 
the  time  for  payment  has  expired. 
— as  per  invoice.  A  phrase  on  a  bill  of 
exchange.  It  means  that  notice  has  been 
given  to  the  drawee  that  the  bill  has  been 
drawn  upon  him. 

assets.  Property  in  general  regarded  as 
applicable  to  the  paying  of  debts. 

assignment.  The  document  by  means  of 
which  a  transfer  is  made. 

assigns.  Any  person  or  persons  to  whom 
an  assignment  is  made. 

at  sight.  A  term  used  upon  bills  of 
exchange  when  they  are  payable  on  demand. 

attachment.  Laying  an  embargo  upon,  and 
prohibiting  the  sale  and  disposal  of,  the  money 
or  goods  of  a  debtor  in  the  hands  of  third 
parties,  pending  the  settlement  of  some  claim 
against  the  owner. 

-  audit.    Examination  of  all  books,  accounts, 
etc.,  by  an  auditor  to  see  that  they  are  properly 
kept  and  that  no  fraud  has  been  committed 
by  the  party  keeping  them. 

auditor.    One  who  audits  books  or  accounts. 

bail.  The  person  who  gives  surety  for  the 
appearance  of  another  in  a  court  to  answer 
a  charge  made  against  him  in  order  that  he 
may  be  set  free  in  the  meantime  ;  the  security 
given. 

balance.  In  bookkeeping  and  accounts  the 
balance  is  the  difference  required  to  make 
equal  the  debtor  and  creditor  sides  of  an 
account. 

— balance  of  trade.  The  difference  in  the 
money  value  between  the  exports  and 
imports. 

-balance-sheet.  A  statement  showing  the 
assets  and  liabilities  of  any  trading  concern 
and  the  profits  or  losses  on  each  account. 

•  balancing  books.    The  periodical  closing-up 
and  adjusting  of  all  accounts  in  the  ledger  to 
ascertain  the  profits  or  losses. 

banknotes.  Promissory  notes  on  a  bank 
payable  to  bearer  on  demand. 

bankrupt.  A  debtor  who,  having  been 
unable  to  pay  his  creditors  in  full,  has  been 
adjudged  a  bankrupt  by  the  court,  and  has 
given  up  his  estate,  to  be  realized,  so  far  as 
possible,  for  the  payment  of  his  debts. 

bear.  A  speculator  who  sells  for  delivery 
on  a  certain  date  stocks,  shares,  or  other 
securities  which  he  does  not  possess  in  the 
expectation  of  being  able  to  buy  them  at  a 
lower  price  before  the  delivery  date  arrives 
and  to  make  a  profit  on  the  transaction.  A 
"  bear,"  therefore,  is  one  who  sells  for  a  fall 
in  price ;  and  a  "  bull "  one  who  buys  for  a 
rise  in  price. 

below  par.  Stocks,  etc.,  are  said  to  be 
below  par  when  the  price  asked  for  them  is 
lower  than  their  face  value. 

berth.  A  sleeping-place  on  board  ship  or 
car. 


240 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


bill.  A  bill  of  exchange  is  a  note  addressed 
by  one  person  (the  creditor)  to  another  (the 
debtor)  asking  him  to  pay  a  certain  sum  of 
money,  either  on  demand  or  at  a  specified 
time,  to  the  order  of  himself  or  to  the  person 
named  therein.  (See  DRAFT.) 

—  bill  of  parcels.    List  of  articles  purchased. 
--•-bill  of  sale.     An  instrument   by  which   the 

transfer  of  title  of  personal  property  is  declared 
and  established  ;  an  instrument  in  the  nature 
of  a  mortgage  for  the  transfer  of  personal 
property  as  security  for  a  debt. 

bills  payable.  Notes  issued  and  drafts 
accepted  by  a  firm  which  are  to  be  paid. 

-bills  receivable.  Notes  and  acceptances 
received  by  a  firm  for  which  payment  is  to  be 
received. 

black  list.  A  term  given  to  printed  lists  of 
bankrupts,  suspensions,  bills  of  sale,  and 
similar  matters  issued  for  the  private  guidance 
of  the  trading  community.  Employers  cir- 
culate black  lists  of  undesirable  workmen  to 
prevent  their  obtaining  employment ;  trades 
unions  circulate  black  lists  of  employers  who 
hire  non-union  labor  or  for  other  unfair 
methods.  A  list  of  goods  union  men  must 
not  buy. 

board  of  trade.  An  association  of  business 
men  to  promote  common  interests. 

bona  fide.     In  good  faith. 

brokerage.  A  charge  of  so  much  per  cent., 
or  so  much  per  share,  made  by  brokers  for 
transacting  business  for  then-  principals  ;  also 
called  commission. 

bucket-shop.  Term  given  to  outside 
stock-brokers  and  others  who  do  not  belong 
to  the  Stock  Exchange,  many  of  whom  trap 
the  unwary  and  defraud  them  of  their  capital 
by  means  of  circulars  or  advertisements 
purporting  to  show  how  $5  or  $10  can  be 
made  to  produce  $100  or  more  within  a  few 
days. 

—  bull.     A    person    who     tries    to    raise    the 
selling  price  of  stocks  bought  at  a  lower  figure. 
— bullion.    Gold  or  silver   in  bars,  dust,  or 
groups  (the  term  "  groups  "  means  old  coins, 
medals,  or  small  pieces).    The  word  bullion 
is  also  frequently  used  to  denote  coined  gold 
and  silver  when  considered  in  the  mass  and 
value  by  weight. 

— by-law.  A  private  law  or  order  made  by 
a  society,  corporation,  or  company  in 
contradistinction  to  the  law  of  the  land. 

bond.  A  deed  by  which  a  person  or  com- 
pany is  bound  to  pay  a  sum  of  money  at  a 
fixed  time  or  under  certain  conditions. 
Railways  and  other  public  companies  issue 
bonds  in  return  for  money  lent  them. 

bonded  goods.  Imported  goods  liable  to 
duty,  which  are  deposited  in  a  Government 
or  bonded  warehouse  until  the  duty  upon 
them  has  been  paid.  Such  goods  are  said 
to  be  "  in  bond,"  a  bond  having  been  signed 
on  behalf  of  the  owners  that  the  duty  will  be 
paid  when  the  goods  are  received  for 
consumption. 

bonus.  An  extra  dividend  given  to  share- 
holders when  the  profits  made  are  far  above 
the  usual  average.  Also  a  periodical  addition 
made  to  life  insurance  policies  out  of  the 
general  profits  of  the  company. 

book  debts.  Unpaid  accounts  standing  in 
the  books.  They  are  usually  classed  as  good, 
doubtful,  or  bad  according  to  expectation  of 
payment. 


bounty.  A  premium  given  to  manufactur- 
ers, planters,  exporters,  etc.,  by  the  govern- 
ment for  the  encouragement  of  some  particular 
industry. 

Bourse.  A  European  term  for  Stock 
Exchange  or  money  market. 

Bradstreet's.  The  name  of  a  New  York 
house  that  records  the  standing  of  commercial 
people,  of  trade  conditions,  and  publishes 
literature  relating  thereto. 

broker.  An  agent  between  the  buyer  and 
the  seller. 

call.  A  Stock  Exchange  term  meaning 
that  by  paying  down  so  much  per  cent,  the 
option  is  given  of  buying  stock  at  a  fixed  price 
on  a  certain  day. 

call  money.  Money  lent  by  bankers  and 
others  at  an  agreed  rate  of  interest  for 
repayment  at  a  moment's  notice. 

capital.  The  money  invested  in  the 
business;  that  is,  the  amount  of  money  used 
to  commence  and  carry  on  the  concern. 
— -card-system.  A  method  of  keeping  ac- 
counts and  records,  arranged  generally 
according  to  some  alphabetical  device. 

carat  The  twenty-fourth  part  of  the 
weight  of  any  pieces  of  pure  gold,  pure  gold 
being  divided  into  an  imaginary  standard 
of  twenty-four  carats.  So  many  "  carats 
fine  "  means  that  so  many  parts  out  of  the 
twenty-four  are  pure  gold.  Thus,  5,  g,  12, 
15,  18,  20,  22,  and  24  carat  gold. 

cash.  Ready  money,  bills,  drafts,  bonds, 
and  all  readily  negotiable  paper  ;  but  more 
commonly  the  term  is  limited  to  coin  or 
banknotes. 

— cash  bonus.     In   life  insurance  a  share  of 
the  profits  paid  the  insured  in  cash  instead 
of  applied  to  the  reduction  of  premium, 
-caveat  emptor  1     Let  the  buyer  beware  ! 

cent.  An  abbreviation  of  centum  ;  a  hun- 
dred. Used  to  denote  a  certain  rate  or  ratio, 
being  so  much  per  hundred.  Thus,  five  per 
cent,  implies  the  proportion  of  five  to  every 
100. 

cental.     One  hundred  pounds. 
'Certified  Check.     If  requested  a  bank  signs 
and  dates  the  check  drawn  on  it,  thus  certifying 
its  genuineness. 

-    Chamber  of  Commerce.    An  association  of 
commercial  men  for  the  purpose  of  protecting 
trade  interests. 
—  'Change.     An  abbreviation  of  Exchange. 

chattel  mortgage.  A  written  contract  by 
which  personal  property  is  pledged  to  secure 
payment  of  a  debt. 

cheap  money.  Money  is  said  to  be 
"  cheap  "  when  the  floating  supply  of  gold  is 
plentiful  and  loans  on  marketable  securities 
are  easily  obtainable  at  a  low  rate  of  interest. 

check.  A  written  order  on  a  banker  for  the 
payment  of  money  on  demand. 

circulating  medium.  The  recognized  means 
of  making  payments  ;  that  is,  bank  notes, 
checks,  bills  of  exchange,  promissory  notes, 
gold,  silver,  etc. 

cipher.  A  secret  kind  of  writing.  Govern- 
ment telegrams,  the  despatches  of  companies 
and  large  commercial  houses  are  often  written 
in  cipher  to  insure  secrecy. 

clearance.  |A  Custom  House  term  in  use 
in  the  mercantile  marine,  signifying  a  permit 
from  the  Custom  House  for  a  ship  to  unload 
her  cargo  or  to  depart  from  the  port. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


241 


RAILROAD     BILL     OF     LADING 


NATIONAL    TRANSPORTATION    COMPANY 

FREIGHT     LINE 


K7-  All  articles  entered  on 
tbis  Bill  of  Lading  shall  be  subjec 
'••>  and  governed  by  the  Classifica 
tion  as  published  by  Railroads 
and  to  the  rates  properly  belong 
ing  to  such  classification  ;  and  th 
rates  as  written  in  below,  shal 
only  apply  to  such  Goods  as  an 
included  in  the  class  opposite  o: 
against  which  the  rates  are  sc 
written  in. 

MARKS. 


T.  A.  STONE, 

Albany, 

N. 


Subject  to   the 


Merchants 
York,  N. 


Bank 
Y. 


order   of 
of   New 


Charges  advanced,  $ 


BILL    OF    LADING    FROM 

New  York,  N.  Y.,  to  /  Ibany  Depot 

If  ist  Class,  15  cts.  per  100  Ibs. 

If  ad  Class,  13  cts.  per  100  Ibs. 

If  3d  Class,  10  cts.  per  100  Ibs. 

If  4th  Class,    8  cts.  per  100  Ibs. 

If  Special cts.  per  100  Ibs. 


Any  consignment  weighing  less 
than  100  Ibs.  will  be  estimated 
and  charged  at  100  Ibs. 


DEPOT  : 

Corner   Court  and  Saint 
Paul  Streets. 


NEW    YORK,  N.Y.,  Jan.  6,    19.. 

Received  from  A.  Carey  &  Co.,  in  apparent 
good  order  [except  as  noted]  the  following  PACKAGES 
[contents  unknown],  marked  as  in  the  margin,  viz: 

110  bbls.  Salt. 

(UNDER   THE   FOLLOWING   CONDITIONS.) 

It  being  expressly  understood  and  agreed  that  in  consideration 
of  issuing  this  through  Bill  of  Lading,  and  guaranteeing  a  through 
rate,  the  National  Transportation  Company  reserves  the  right 
to  forward  said  goods  by  any  Railroad  line  between  point  of  ship- 
ment and  destination.  The  National  Transportation  Company, 
or  carriers  over  whose  line  they  are  transported,  shall  only  be 
responsible  as  warehousemen,  not  as  common  carriers,  while  the 
goods  are  at  any  of  their  stations  awaiting  delivery  to  the  consignees. 
They  will  not  be  liable  for  any  injury  to  any  articles  of  freight 
during  the  course  of  transportation,  occasioned  by  the  weather, 
accidental  delays,  or  natural  tendency  to  decay,  nor  from  any 
loss  arising  from  leakage,  improper  packing,  insufficient  cooperagp 
or  strapping  ;  nor  for  any  loss  or  damage  on  any  article  or  property 
whatever,  by  fire,  or  other  casualty,  while  in  transit  or  while  in 
depots  or  places  of  transhipment,  or  at  depots  or  landings  at  point 
of  delivery  ;  nor  for  loss  or  damage  by  fire,  collision,  or  the  dangers 
of  navigation  while  on  seas,  rivers,  lakes,  or  canals.  No  responsi- 
bility will  be  assumed  for  damage  resulting  from  chafing  of  goods 
packed  in  bales.  All  necessary  cooperage  and  bailing  to  be  at 
owners'  risk. 

No  guaranty  of  special  time  for  delivery  of  the  goods  is  given — 
Carriages  and  Sleighs,  Eggs,  Furniture,  Looking  Glasses,  Glass  and 
Crockery,  Ware,  Acids,  Machinery,  Stoves  and  Castings,  Wrought 
Marble,  Musical  Instruments,  Liquor  put  up  in  glass  or  earthen- 
ware, and  all  other  frail  and  brittle  articles,  Fruit  and  all  other 
perishable  goods — will  only  be  taken  at  the  owners'  risk  of  fracture 
or  injury  during  the  course  of  transportation,  loading  and  un- 
oading,  unless  specially  agreed  in  writing  to  the  contrary.  Gun- 
powder, Friction  Matches,  and  like  combustibles  and  explosives, 
will  not  be  received  except  by  special  agreement,  and  all  persons 
srocuring  the  reception  of  such  freight  without  the  knowledge  of 
;he  carrier  will  be  held  responsible  for  any  damage  which  may 
arise  from  it.  In  the  event  of  the  loss  of  any  property  for  which 
•esponsibility  attaches  under  this  Bill  of  Lading  to  the  carrier,  the 
/alue  or  cost  of  the  same,  at  the  time  and  point  of  shipment  is  to 
govern  the  settlement  for  the  same,  except  the  value  of  the  articles 
las  been  agreed  upon  with  the  shipper,  or  is  determined  by  the 
classification  upon  which  the  rates  are  based,  and  said  carrier  shall 
lave  the  benefit  of  any  insurance  effected  by  or  on  account  of  the 
owner  of  such  goods.  It  is  further  stipulated  and  agreed  that,  in 
:ase  of  any  loss,  detriment  or  damage  done  to  or  sustained  by  any 
5f  the  property  herein  receipted  for,  during  such  transportation, 
whereby  any  legal  liability  or  responsibility  shall  or  may  be  incurred, 
hat  Company  alone  shall  be  held  answerable  therefor  in  whose 
tctual  custody  the  same  may  be  at  the  time  of  the  happening 
hereof.  No  claim  will  be  allowed  for  deficiency  or  damage  on 
jackages  if  receipted  for  in  "  good  order  "  at  the  point  to  which 
hey  are  contracted  by  this  bill.  No  claim  will  be  allowed  that 
arises  from  insufficient  packing  or  incorrect  or  inadequate  marking. 
The  acceptance  of  this  Bill  of  Lading  or  receipt  for  goods,  made 
ubject  to  the  conditions  of  this  Bill  of  Lading,  makes  this  an 
tgreement  between  the  National  Transportation  Company  and 
arriers  engaged  in  transporting  said  goods  and  all  parties  inter- 
sted  in  the  property.  In  witness  whereof,  the  agent  affirms  to 
Bills  of  Lading,  all  of  this  tenor  and  date,  one  of  which  being 
ccomplished  the  other  to  stand  void. 

T.  BANNING,  Agent. 


NOTE — Another  approved  form  is  that  of  the  Interstate  Commerce  Commission  unfortunately 
too  large  for  this  book. 


242 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Check 


No. 


NEW    YORK, 


PAY  TO  THE 

ORDER   OF 


NORTHERN    NATIONAL    BANK 

$ 


19 


DOLLARS 


Draft 


No. 


PAY  TO  THE 

ORDER    OF 


NEW    YORK, 


19 


VALUE  RECEIVED  AND  CHARGE  TO  THE  ACCOUNT  OF 
To 1 


DOLLARS 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH 


243 


clients.  Persons  who  employ  lawyers.  In 
commerce  the  customers  of  a  concern. 
-  closing  prices.  In  newspaper  reports  the 
closing  prices  of  stock  and  shares  refer  to 
transactions  which  have  taken  place  between 
hours  of  three  and  four,  after  the  official 
"  marking  "  is  closed. 

-collateral  security.  Any  secondary  or 
indirect  security;  generally  applied  to  the 
deposit  of  documents  conveying  a  right  to 
property,  so  that  they  may  be  available  in  the 
event  of  default  in  the  repayment  of  a  loan, 
or  the  failure  of  some  other  obligation.  A 
bill  of  sale,  for  instance,  is  a  collateral  security, 
as  it  is  given  as  a  guaranty  for  the  repayment 
of  a  loan  ;  also  document  bills,  delivery 
orders,  title  deeds,  mortgages,  bonds,  etc., 
when  they  are  deposited  to  insure  the 
performance  of  an  obligation. 

common  law.  Long  established  customs 
accepted  as  the  law  of  the  land. 

common  stock.  This  usually  forms  part 
of  the  ordinary  stock,  and  is  entitled  to  a 
dividend  after  the  preferred  stock. 

confirmation  note.  A  slip  attached  to  or 
sent  with  an  order  or  contract,  so  that  the 
receiver  may  sign  it  as  an  acknowledgment 
that  he  has  received  and  confirms  it. 

C.  0.  D.  Goods  to  be  paid  for  when 
delivered. 

•  consign.  To  forward  goods  from  one 
person  or  place  to  another. 

consignee.  The  party  to  whom  goods  are 
sent  or  consigned. 

consignment.  Goods  sent  to  a  person  for 
sale.  The  term  is  also  used  by  railway 
companies  when  asking  for  instructions  as 
to  the  disposal  of  goods  lying  at  their 
stations. 

consolidated.  A  term  applied  to  various 
funds  bearing  the  same  or  different  rates  of 
interest,  which  have  been  consolidated  into  one 
common  debt. 

consul  A  public  officer  appointed  by  a 
government  to  reside  in  a  foreign  country  in 
order  to  facilitate  and  protect  the  commercial 
interests  between  his  own  country  and  that 
to  which  he  has  been  sent. 

contraband.  Articles  forbidden  to  be 
exported  or  imported. 

contract.  A  bargain ;  to  make  an 
agreement. 

convertible  securities.  Term  given  to  those 
documents  which  can  be  readily  converted 
into  money. 

copyright.  The  sole  legal  right  to  print  or 
publish  anything  that  belongs  to  the  author 
or  his  assigns. 

corner.  To  obtain  sufficient  control  of  an 
article  of  commerce  or  shares  of  stock  so  as  to 
be  able  to  fix  the  selling  price  at  will. 

coupon.  An  interest-bearing  slip  attached 
to  a  bond  to  be  cut  off  and  given  up  when 
paid. 

credentials.  Document  of  reference 
showing  the  standing  or  the  authority  of  a 
person. 

-credit  in  banking.  An  entry  in  a  banker's 
books  showing  that  a  customer  has  made  a 
deposit  with  the  bank. 

credit  in  bookkeeping.  An  entry  showing 
that  a  person  named  has  a  right  to  demand 
something,  but  not  necessarily  money. 

credit  in  commerce.  A  bargain  agreed  upon 
between  two  parties,  one  of  whom,  the  seller, 


hands  over  certain  goods  to  the  other,  the 
buyer,  conditionally  upon  receiving  his  pro- 
mise to  pay  within  a  certain  definite  time. 
The  seller  becomes  the  creditor,  and  the  buyer 
the  debtor  until  the  money  is  paid  ;  if  the 
amount  is  not  paid  then  due  the  former  has 
a  right  of  action  against  the  latter,  which  he 
can  at  once  put  in  force. 

creditor.  A  person  to  whom  another  is 
in  debt. 

— -  credit  note.'  A  document  similar  in  form 
to  an  invoice,  but  usually  printed  in  red,  sent ' 
to  a  person  stating  that  his  account  is  credited 
with  the  amount  named. 

Curb.  An  irregular  Stock  Exchange  market 
held  in  the  street. 

-  currency.  A  term  applied  to  the  lawful 
coins  and  other  recognized  means  of  making 
payments  that  pass  current  or  circulate. 
— '—current  account.  In  banking  a  current 
account  is  where  a  person  puts  money  in 
a  bank  to  be  withdrawn  or  added  to. 

^_day  books.  Those  in  which  the  business 
transactions  of  the  day  are  entered. 

day  to  day  loans.  Sums  of  money  bor- 
rowed at  a  fixed  rate  of  interest  for  a  single 
day.  They  may  be  renewed  from  day  to  day 
if  borrower  and  lender  agree. 

days  of  grace.  Days  (usually  three)  allowed 
for  payment  of  a  note  or  bill  of  exchange 
after  it  falls  due. 

— ^ays'  sight.  Days  after  the  sight  of  a 
bill,  i.e.,  after  it  has  been  presented  for 
acceptance. 

dear  money.  Money  is  said  to  be  "  dear  " 
when  the  floating  supply  of  gold  is  scarce 
and  advances  cannot  be  obtained  even  on 
good  securities  except  at  a  high  rate  of  interest 
owing  to  a  pressure  in  the  money  market  or  a 
high  bank  rate. 

debit  note.  When  a  firm  returns  goods 
owing  to  some  imperfection,  or  corrects  an 
overcharge,  it  is  usual  to  send  a  debit 
note. 

decimal  system.  Decimal  system  is  a  sys- 
tem by  which  weights,  measures,  money,  etc., 
are  calculated  by  decimal  division. 

deed.  A  legal  transaction  or  the  written 
document  under  hand  and  seal  as  evidence  of 
such  transaction. 

deed  ol  assignment.  A  deed  by  which  an 
insolvent  debtor  gives  up  his  property  for  the 
benefit  of  creditors. 

de  facto.     Actual ;   in  fact ;   in  reality. 

defendant.  A  party  against  whom  an 
action  is  brought. 

demand  draft.  A  bill  of  exchange  payable 
on  demand,  i.  e.,  payable  as  soon  as  presented. 

demurrage.  The  holding  of  a  vessel  or  car 
by  a  shipper  longer  than  the  time  allowed  for 
loading  or  unloading. 

depreciation.  A  stock-taking  term  used  in 
bookkeeping  when  an  allowance  is  made  for 
the  wear  and  tear  of  such  assets  as  machinery, 
tools,  fixtures,  furniture,  utensils,  and  other 
requisites  necessary  to  carry  on  business. 

discount  An  allowance  made  on  a  bill  or 
any  other  debt  not  yet  become  due  in 
consideration  of  present  payment.  Trade 
or  series  discounts  may  not  be  added  and 
taken  as  one  discount,  as  each  must  be 
computed  on  a  different  base.  The  first 
discount  (15  %)  is  computed  on  and  deducted 
from  the  face  of  the  bill.  The  second  do  %) 


244 


STYLE-BOOK   OF    BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


Invoice 

To  insure  prompt  attention,  all  communications  should  be  addressed  to  the  House. 

Any  claim  for  allowance  on  Paper  must  be  presented  before  printing ; 

on  general  Mdse.  within  ten  days  from  receipt  of  goods. 

New  York, Oct-...1.» /?-- 

Henry   Leggat 

Bought  of  THE  THOMAS  PAPER  CO., 

Paper  Manufacturers  &  Dealers  in  JXCill  Supplies 
391  FEDERAL  STREET 


Case 
No. 

No. 
Bdls. 

Reams. 

Size  and  Weight. 

Quality. 

Ibs. 

Price. 

Receipt 


New   York May 22, j 

Received  of  ?.h.9m.as...Pa.Per...Co-. 

Fifty   reams   white   paper  No.    6 


No.      10 


Harold   Temple 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


245 


MONTHLY     STATEMENT 


New  York, 


TO  ISAAC    PITMAN   &   SONS,  Dr. 

SHORTHAND    AND    EDUCATIONAL    PUBLISHERS 

2-6  West  45th  St. 


Terms  :    Net  Cash 

With  Exchange  on  New  York 


To  Balance  as  per  a/c  rend 


„    Mdse. 


Our  custom  is  to  render  Statements  the  first  of  each  month,  whether  accounts  be 
due  or  not.  The  object  is  to  prevent  errors  which  might  otherwise  occur,  and  it 
should  not  be  considered  as  an  untimely  demand  for  settlement. 


246 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


is  computed  on  and  deducted  from  the  first 
remainder ;  the  third  (5  % )  on  the  second 
remainder.  Continue  in  this  succession  if 
there  be  more  than  three  discounts  in  the 
series.  The  last  remainder  of  a  series  is  the 
proceeds  of  the  bill. 

Illustration  :    Bill  $100-  15  —  $85  -  $8.50 

:=  $76.50-  $3.83  a  $72.67,  net  cost  of  bill. 

— discount  a  bill.      To  obtain  money  for  a  bill 

before  it  is  due,  interest  being  charged  for  the 

accommodation. 

dishonor.  When  the  drawee  refuses  to 
accept  a  bill  or  an  acceptor  fails  to  pay  it 
when  due  the  bill  is  said  to  be  dishonored. 

dock.  The  water  space  between  two  piers 
or  wharfs. 

double  entry.      That  mode  of  bookkeeping 

in  which  two  entries  are  made  of  every 
transaction  in  order  that  the  one  entry  may 
check  the  other. 

draft  An  order  by  which  money  is  drawn 
from  a  bank  ;  a  bill  of  exchange. 

drawee.  The  person  upon  whom  a  bill  is 
drawn. 

•  drawer.      The  person  who  draws  a  bill  upon 
another. 

— dry  dock.  Used  for  the  repair  of  ships 
which  are  admitted  at  high  water  and  left 
dry  after  the  water  has  been  removed. 

duties.  Taxes  on  merchandise,  manu- 
factures, raw  material,  etc.,  passing  through 
the  custom  house,  levied  by  the  Government 
as  a  revenue  for  the  country. 

endorse.  To  sign  one's  name  on  the  back 
of  a  bill  of  exchange,  promissory  note,  check, 
warrant,  delivery  order,  etc. 

endorsee.  The  party  to  whom  a  bill, 
delivery  order,  warrant,  etc.,  is  transferred 
by  endorsement,  thus  enabling  him  to  deal 
with  the  document  as  if  it  were  made  to  his 
order  when  first  issued. 

— -  endorse  a  bill.  To  endorse  a  bill  is  to  write 
one's  name  across  the  back,  thereby  engaging 
to  pay  it  when  due  should  it  be  dishonored 
by  the  drawee. 

endorsement.  Anything  written  upon  the 
back  of  documents ;  or,  in  its  general  sense, 
writing  one's  name  upon  the  back  of  bills  of 
exchange,  warrants,  etc.,  so  that  they  may  be 
paid  to  or  collected  by  other  parties. 

endorser.  A  person  who  endorses  a  bill  of 
lading,  bill  of  exchange,  promissory  note, 
check,  warrant,  delivery  order,  etc. 

endowment.  A  fixed  sum  of  money 
payable  at  the  end  of  a  certain  number  of 
years  in  the  event  of  a  person's  surviving  the 
given  time. 

executor.  A  person  appointed  by  a  testator 
to  see  that  his  will  is  carried  into  effect. 
Feminine  form,  Executrix. 

exportation.  The  act  of  sending  goods  out 
of  one  country  into  another. 

exporters.  Those  who  send  goods  to  foreign 
markets. 

•  ]face  value.      The  value  printed  on  the  face 
of  bonds,  shares,  certificates,  etc. 

facsimile.    An  exact  copy. 

•  failure.      The  suspension  of  payments  by 
those  unable  to  meet  the  demands  made  upon 
them. 

file.     A  contrivance  on  which  papers  are 
arranged, 
financier.      One   who  supplies   capital    for 


a  commercial  undertaking ;  one  who  manages 
the  finances  of  a  concern. 
— first-class  paper.  A  phrase  given  to  bills, 
drafts,  promissory  notes,  etc.,  which  bear  the 
names  of  well-known  houses  of  financiers  as 
acceptors  or  endorsers. 

•  first  hand.  A  term  applied  to  goods 
obtained  direct  from  the  maker,  importer,  or 
wholesale  dealer. 

floating  capital.  The  available  sum  actu- 
ally at  command  for  carrying  on  business, 
including  money  not  permanently  invested, 
but  temporarily  employed  in  marketable 
securities. 

floating  policy.  A  policy  for  a  certain 
amount,  insuring  goods  which  are  not  all  in 
one  place,  but  are  spread  over  a  certain  area, 
so  that  they  are  insured,  either  wholly  or  in 
part,  according  to  their  aggregate  value. 

f.  o.  b.    See  FREE  ON  BOARD. 

foreclose.  To  take  actual  possession  of  the 
thing  mortgaged  with  a  view  of  securing 
repayment  of  the  loan. 

foreign.      In    railroad    language    a    term 

designating    a  railroad  operated  by  another 

company  though  in  the  same  country. 

< — foreign  billsiof.exchange.     Bills  of  exchange 

drawn  in  one  country  and  payable  in  another. 

forgery.  The  fraudulent  making  or  altera- 
tion of  a  document  to  the  disadvantage  of 
another  person. 

forwarding  agents.  Persons  who  collect, 
forward,  and  deliver  goods. 

franc.  The  French  standard  unit  of 
money — $.193. 

— free  on  board.  When  goods  are  sold 
"  f.  o.  b."  it  means  that  the  seller  puts  them 
on  board  a  car  or  ship  free  of  expense  to  the 
buyer. 

free  trade.  Trade  with  other  countries 
unrestricted  by  tariff  or  customs. 

gilt-edged  securities.  Securities  of  the 
highest  class. 

gold  bonds.  Bonds  payable  in  gold  coin, 
or  at  a  fixed  rate  of  exchange. 

good-wilL  The  right  to  take  up  an  estab- 
lished trade  or  business,  with  the  advantages 
accruing  to  it,  under  an  agreement  from  the 
outgoing  owner. 

guaranty.  A  conditional  or  secondary 
responsibility  taken  by  a  person  on  another's 
account,  whereby  he  engages  to  fulfil  certain 
engagements,  such  as  the  payment  of  money 
in  case  the  party  liable  fails  to  do  so. 

guinea.  A  gold  coin  formerly  current  in 
England.  Term  now  used  to  designate  a 
sum  of  twenty-one  shillings  ;  about  $5. 

hand.  Term  used  in  measuring  the  height 
of  horses— four  inches. 

hogshead.  A  term  formerly  employed  to 
denote  a  measure  of  capacity,  but  now  a  cask 
or  barrel  of  63  gallons. 

horse-power.  The  standard  for  estimating 
the  power  of  an  engine  ;  the  force  required  to 
raise  33,000  pounds  one  foot  per  minute. 


Understood  though  not  spoken 
or  written. 

importers.    Those  who  import  goods. 

imports.  A  term  for  goods  brought  into 
the  country  from  some  other  nation  or  place. 

indemnity.  The  making-good  of  loss 
sustained. 


STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


247 


Mr.  J.  Bell:- 
Dollars). 


injunction.  An  order  from  a  court  having 
the  object  of  preventing  an  act  from  being 
done. 

insolvent.     The  state  of  being  unable   to 
pay  the  whole  of  one's  debts. 
linternal  revenue.      Taxes  imposed  by  the 
IT.  S.  Government  on  domestic  articles. 

in  transit.-  Passing  from  one  place  to 
another. 

-  intrinsic  value.  The  real,  not  the  apparent, 
value.  The  intrinsic  value  of  a  watch  is  the 
worth  of  the  gold  in  it. 

inventory.     A  list  of  goods,  fixtures,  etc. 

investment.  Money  put  out  at  interest  in 
some  fund  or  company,  or  in  the  purchase  of 
houses,  land,  or  other  property. 

invoice.  An  account  specifying  particulars 
as  to  the  quantity,  quality,  and  price  of  goods 
sold  to  another,  the  contents  of  each  package, 
and  the  charges  upon  them,  etc.  \n  invoice 
is  usually  sent  by  a  manufacturer  to  the  mer- 
chant at  the  time  the  goods  leave  the  factory, 
and  a  copy  of  it  is  sent  by  the  merchant  to  his 
customer  as  soon  as  the  goods  are  shipped. 

L  0.  U.  A  memorandum  acknowledging 
a  debt  consisting  of  these  three  letters,  the 
amount  of  the  debt,  the  date,  and  the  signature 
of  the  debtor.  Thus— 

New    York,  March  i,  1906. 

I.  O.   U.    $100  (One  Hundred 
FRANK  SMITH. 

— -  joint  account.  Two  or  more  firms  in  the 
sam?  line  of  business  sometimes  trade  upon 
joint  account  with  ^ome  particular  article  in 
which  they  deal.J' 

journal.  The  book  containing  an  account 
of  each  day's  transactions,  now  used  only  for 
the  entry  of  such  transactions  as  cannot  be 
entered  in  the  Purchases,  Sales,  or  Cash  Books. 

junior  partner.  Either  the  youngest 
member  of  a  firm  or  the  last  to  enter. 

knot.  Nautical  mile  of  2,208  yards,  or 
one-sixtieth  of  a  degree. 

lease.  A  document  relating  to  the  letting 
of  offices,  houses,  buildings,  land,  or  goods. 

ledger.  The  principal  book  of  accounts 
among  merchants  in  which  the  entries  from 
all  other  books  are  summarized. 

legacy.     Property  left  to  one  by  will. 
— legal  tender.    The  various  kinds  of  money — 
gold,  silver,   and  paper — with  which  a  debt 
can  be  lawfully  paid. 

liabilities.  A  term  used  in  commerce  to 
denote  the  whole  amount  of  the  debts  that  a 
person  owes,  and  also  any  others  that  are 
likely  to_arise  from  ^business  rerponsibilities. 

lien.  ~A  legal  claim  on  property ;  a 
security  for  a  debt  or  charge. 

lieu.      In  place  of. 

limited.  When  appearing  at  the  end  of  a 
firm's  name  it  means  that  the  firm  consists 
of  general  and  special  partners,  the  general 
partners  managing  the  business  and  the 
special  partner  contributing  capital.  The 
special  partner's  liability  for  the  debts  of  the 
firm  is  limited  to  the  amount  of  his  capital  in 
the  firm. 

liquidation.  A  course  of  settlement  or 
closing-up  of  business  transactions  of  a 
concern. 

17— (400) 


long.  A  term  equivalent  to  the  market 
expression  "  bull."  Instead  of  calling  a 
person  who  holds  stock  for  a  rise  a  "  bull  "  he 
is  said  to  be  "  long  of  stock." 

longshoremen.  Men  employed  about  piers 
to  load  and  unload  vessels. 

mandamus.  A  court  order  compelling  a 
person  to  act. 

margin.  A  deposit  of  money  or  securities 
given  a  broker  by  his  client  in  order  to  insure 
him  against  loss  in  speculative  transactions  on 
his  account. 

mark.  German  standard  unit  of  money — 
about  $.24. 

maturity.  The  date  upon  which  bills  of 
exchange,  promissory  notes,  etc.,  fall  due  and 
are  payable. 

mercantile  agency.  A  concern  that  dis« 
covers  and  sells  business  information  to 
subscribers. 

— metric  system.  A  system  of  weights  and 
measures,  the  original  factors  of  which  are 
derived  from  the  meter.  The  meter  is  the 
unit  in  measure  of  length  ;  the  are  in  measure 
of  surface  ;  the  liter  in  measure  of  capacity  ; 
and  the  gram  the  unit  of  weights.  A  meter  in 
the  United  States  is  39.37  inches. 

mileage.  The  name  given  to  fees  paid  for 
travel  or  for  the  conveyance  of  goods  by  the 
mile. 

-minute-book.      The    book     containing    the 

minutes  or  notes  of  a  meeting. 

monopolize.  To  obtain  control  of  a 
commodity  so  as  to  be  the  sole  seller  of  it. 

—  mutual  life  insurance  company.     A   com- 
pany in  which  there  are  no  shareholders,  the 
profits  belonging  to  the  insured  and  divided 
among    them,    either    by    cash    payments, 
reductions    of    premiums,    or    by    periodical 
additions  to  the  amounts  of  the  policies. 

—  national£debt.     The   entire   debt   of   the 
United  States,  consisting  of  money  which  the 
Government     has     borrowed     from     private 
individuals. 

negotiable  documents.  Instruments  which, 
when  transferred  from  one  person  to  another, 
convey  to  the  possessor  a  legal  right  to 
property. 

net.  The  amount  of  any  charge  or  cost 
after  all  deductions.  The  actual  weight  of 
goods  themselves  without  reckoning  the 
package  in  which  they  are  enclosed,  and 
after  allowing  for  waste,  turn  of  the  scale, 
etc. 

notary  public.  An  authorized  person  who 
attests  certain  documents  and  writings  to 
prove  their  validity. 

note  of  hand.  A  document  promising 
payment  of  a  sum  of  money  named  at  a 
particular  date. 

octavo.  A  book  or  sheet  of  a  book  having 
eight  leaves  to  the  sheet.  Contracted  form, 
8vo. 

official  receiver.  A  person  appointed  by 
a  court  to  manage  and  distribute  an  insolvent's 
estate. 

qhm.  A  standard  unit  of  electrical 
resistance. 

on  demand.  A  term  used  on  bills  of 
exchange  when  payable  on  presentation. 

open  account.  An  account  not  subject  to 
settlement  at  a  fixed  date. 


248 


STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


outlaw.  Refer  to  a  debt  or  note  which  has 
become  overdue  in  payment  and  cannot  _be 
enforced  by  law. 

•  outsiders.  The  puulic  or  those  who  depend 
for  their  judgment  of  the  value  of  stocks  upon 
the  general  situation. 

overdraw.  To  receive  from  the  bank  more 
money  than  a  person  is  entitled  to. 

par.  Face  value.  Stocks  at  a  hundred 
per  cent. 

partnership  agreement. 

Brooklyn,  N.Y.,  Jan.  i,  1910. 

We,  Henry  Smith  &  William  Chase,  have 

this  day  formed  a  partnership  to  conduct  a 

retail  hardware  business  in  the  City  of  New 

York  for  a  period  of  five  years  under  the  firm 

name  of  Smith  &  Chase.     Our  capital  stock 

is  Ten  Thousand  Dollars,  of  which  each  has 

paid   in    Five   Thousand   Dollars.     We   have 

agreed  equally  to  share  all  profits  and  losses. 

HENRY  SMITH. 

WILLIAM  CHASE. 

-—  party.     Singular      noun.     In      law     either 
singular  or  plural. 
—par  value.    The  face  value  of  securities. 

payer  profits.  A  balance  on  brokers'  books 
in  favor  of  a  speculator. 

passport.  An  official  permission  to  enter 
or  leave  a  country. 

payee.  The  person  or  firm  to  whom 
payment  is  directed  to  be  made. 

ever.    One  who  pays. 

penny.  English  money ;  equal  to  two 
cents  in  United  States  money. 

per  annum.    By  the  year. 

per  cent.     By  the  hundred. 

per  contoa.  A  term  used  in  bookkeeping 
meaning  on  the  other  side. 

per  diem.    By  the  day. 

per  se.     Considered  by  itself. 

perishable  goods.  Such  property,  which, 
if  not  delivered  quickly,  would  become  spoiled. 
•—personal  property.  Property  not  real  estate. 

personalty.  Movable  property;  not  real 
estate. 

plaintiff.  A  complainant  in  a  court  of  law. 
One  who  institutes  a  law-suit  against  another. 

postdate.  To  date  a  document  after  the 
real  day. 

post  meridian.    Written  p.  m. ;  afternoon. 

post  mortem.     After  death. 

poste  restante.  A  French  phrase  written 
on  letters  and  parcels  sent  through  the  mail 
when  they  are  to  remain  at  the  post-office 
until  called  for. 

pound  sterling.  English  money;  equal  to 
$4.S6J  in  United  States  money. 

power  of  attorney.  A  document  empower- 
ing one  person  to  act  for  another. 

prima  facie.  At  the  first  appearance ; 
apparently. 

preferred  stock.  Shares  having  preference 
over  common  shares  in  payment  of  dividends. 

prepaid.     Paid  before  due  or  in  advance. 
"-price-list.       A  list  or  pamphlet  issued  by 
merchants   to   their  customers   showing   the 
various  articles  dealt  in. 

principal.  The  head  of  a  business  house, 
or  of  a  department ;  money  at  interest ; 
capital. 

principle.  A  rule  of  conduct  or  method  of 
procedure. 

probate.     To  prove  a  will. 

pro  forma.    A  matter  of  form. 


—promissory]  note.     A  written  promise  to  pay . 

pro  rata.     A  division  by  proportion. 

proviso.  A  provision  or  condition  in  a  deed 
or  other  document. 

proximo.    The  coming  month. 

proxy.     Authority  to  act  for  another. 

quasi.  Appearing  as  if  ;  not  xully  genuine  ; 
not  quite,  used  as  a  prefix  and  joined  to  the  fol- 
lowing word  by  a  hyphen  ;  as,  quasi-con  tract ; 
a  quasi-official  ;  a  quasi-understanding. 

quid  pro  quo.  One  thing  for  another;  a 
mutual  consideration  in  business,  such  as 
giving  a  buyer  some  advantage  in  con- 
sideration of  his  making  a  concession. 

quintal.     Equal  to  220.46  pounds. 

quorum.  The  legal  number  of  a  committee 
or  board  of  directors  to  hold  a  meeting  and 
transact  business. 

quotation.  The  price  and  terms  upon 
which  a  person  is  willing  to  enter  an  order.  It 
is  usual  for  merchants  and  others  before 
placing  an  order  to  send  out  inquiries  for 
articles  they  wish  to  buy,  and  the  prices  they 
receive  are  termed  quotations. 

-,  raw  materials.  Metals,  ores,  products,  etc., 
in  their  natural  state  before  manufacture. 
—-real  estate.  Land  including  whatever  is 
made  part  of  or  attached  to  it  by  nature  or 
man,  as  trees,  water,  minerals,  houses  and 
other  permanent  structures  •  an  estate  or 
interest  in  land  at  least  for  life. 

ream.'  A  ream  of  writing-paper  consists 
of  20  quires,  of  24  sheets  each  ;  or  480  sheets 
in  all.  A  short  ream  has  480  sheets,  a  long 
ream  500  or  more  ;  a  printer's  ream  contains 
2i£  quires  (516  sheets),  the  surplus  to  make  up 
for  waste. 

rebate.  Term  used  by  bankers  and  others 
for  an  allowance  made  by  them  to  parties 
taking  up  bills  of  exchange  before  they  are 
due ;  also  for  any  return  of  discounts  made 
by  bill-brokers  and  bankers  when  discounted 
bills  are  taken  back  again,  previous  to  their 
arriving  at  maturity,  by  the  parties  who 
placed  them  under  discount.  Used  in 
railroad  business  to  favor  a  few  shippers  at 
the  expense  of  others  by  giving  special  rebate 
in  matters  of  shipping. 

referee.  To  whom  some  matter  in  dispute 
is  referred  for  decision. 

remittance.  A  sum  of  money  sent  from 
one  person  to  another,  whether  by  check, 
draft,  postage  stamps,  or  postal  orders,  etc. 
When  bills  are  drawn  upon  others  and  en- 
dorsed over  to  a  merchant  himself  they  are 
called  drafts. 

replevin.  An  action  taken  to  recover 
goods  improperly  obtained. 

retainer.  A  fee  paid  to  a  lawyer  to  defend 
a  case. 

ring.  A  combination  of  capitalists,  formed 
for  the  purpose  of  manipulating  certain 
produce  (or  securities)  to  increase  the  selling 
value. 

rolling  stock.      Engines,  carriages,  wagons, 

trucks,  etc.,  of  a  carrying  company. 

royalty.  Money  paid  for  working  a  mine 
to  the  owners  of  the  land  for  the  privilege  ol 
working  the  ore,  coal,  etc. :  a  payment  made 
to  a  patentee  for  the  use  of  his  patent.  Mone> 
paid  by  a  publisher  to  an  author  for  the 
privilege  of  publishing  and  selling  his  book, 
generally  ten  per  cent,  of  selling  price  of  the 
book. 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS    ENGLISH  249 


NEW  YORK,                       19 

AFTER     DATE                 PROMISE    TO     PAY    TO 

THE    ORDER    OF 

JOG    DOLLARS 

AT 

VALUE  RECEIVED. 

DUE 

MEMORANDUM   OF   CREDIT 

KEEP  THIS  FOR  FUTURE  REFERENCE 

Philadelphia,  Pa., ..„_ 29 

Received  of 
M 


HENDERSON     &     BROMLEY 


250 


STYLE-BOOK  OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


salvage.  •  Money  paid  to  g  those  who 
assist  in  saving  a  ship  or  goods  from  the 
dangers  of  the  sea  ;  any  property  saved  from 
destruction.*  {  ' 

scilicet.  To  wit ;  namely  ;  in  legal  papers 
abbreviated  to  ss. 

shares.  The  proportion  of  interest  in  any 
undertaking  or  company.  Shareholders  have 
certificates  granted  them  showing  the  number 
of  shares  they  hold  and  entitling  them  to 
participate  in  the  profits. 

shilling.     English    money— $.24. 

ship's  clearance.  Upon  the  arrival  of  a 
vessel  in  port  the  captain,  before  the  hatches 
are  opened  or  the  bulk  broken,  makes  known 
his  arrival  by  lodging  at  the  Custom  House  a 
report  of  his  ship,  her  cargo  and  crew,  upon 
the  prescribed  form,  when,  on  payment  of  the 
tonnage  dues,  etc.,  permission  is  given  him  to 
unload.  An  outward-bound  vessel  also, 
having  loaded  her  cargo,  must  obtain 
permission  before  sailing. 

ship's  manifest.  A  statement  made  out  by 
the  captain  containing  a  description  of  the 
ship,  cargo,  crew,  and  the  ports  of  destination. 

sic.  So  ;  thus  ;  a  word  inserted  in  brackets 
after  an  erroneous  or  astonishing  quoted 
statement  to  indicate  that  the  quotation  is  a 
literal  transcript. 

silent  partners.  Those  who  invest  their 
money  in  business  but  do  not  take  any  active 
part  in  the  work  or  appear  by  name  as  mem- 
bers of  the  firm.  They  are  liable  in  their 
whole  property  for  the  debts  of  the  firm. 

sine  die.  Refers  to  adjournment  without 
fixing  the  day  of  the  next  meeting. 

sine  qua  non.  "  Without  which,  no." 
Meaning  that  unless  a  certain  condition  be 
complied  with  no  agreement  can  be  reached. 

sinking-fund.  A  part  of  the  profits  set 
aside  by  companies  for  extinguishing  a 
debt. 

solvency.  The  state  of  being  able  to  pay  all 
debts. 

solvent.  A  person  is  solvent  when  able  to 
pay  all  debts. 

sovereign.  A  British  gold  coin  equal  to 
one  pound  sterling—  $4.86$. 

88.  Abbreviation  of  scilicit :  to  wit  ; 
namely. 

8.8.    Abbreviation  for  steamship. 

statement  of  account.  Account  periodically 
rendered,  showing  the  amounts  due  by  one 
person  or  firm  to  another.  Generally  a  state- 
ment contains  only  the  dates  and  amounts 
of  each  invoice  sent  in  since  the  last  settlement. 

Statistics.  Collections  of  facts  and  figures 
relating  to  the  state  of  trade  or  the  conditions 
of  a  people  or  a  class. 

statute'of  limitations.  A  law  which  fixes 
the  periods  during  which  a  debt  can  be 
recovered,  or  a  person  punished  for  a 
crime. 

steerage.  An  apartment  in  the  forepart 
of  a  ship  for  the  use  of  third-class  passengers. 

sterling.  The  denomination  given  to 
English  money — pounds,  shillings,  and  pence. 

stet.  When  an  entry  or  a  figure  has  been 
crossed  out  by  mistake  the  term  "  stet " 
indicates  that  it  should  remain  as  it  stood 
originally.  A  line  of  dots  is  written  under 
the  words  crossed  out,  meaning  that  no 
attention  should  be  paid  to  the  crossing-out. 

stevedores.  Experienced  men  who  super- 
intend the  stowage  of  a  ship's  cargo,  which, 


usually  being  of  a  mixed  nature,  requires  care 
in  stowing. 

stewards.  The  managers  of  the  provision 
department  on  board  ship  ;  those  who  have 
charge  of  estates  as  representing  the  owners. 
—  Stock  Exchange.  A  private  institution 
devoted  exclusively  to  dealings  in  stocks  and 
shares. 

street.  Means  Wall  Street,  the  center  of 
financial  transactions. 

suspense  account.  An  account  used  by 
merchants,  bankers,  and  others,  wherein 
sundry  items  are  kept,  which,  owing  to  death, 
oversight,  postal  irregularities,  or  want  of 
detail  or  information  at  the  time  of  posting, 
cannot  be  placed  to  their  regular  accounts  in 
the  books.- 

suspension  of  payment.  Business  men  are 
said  to  "  suspend  payment  "  when  they  cease 
paying  debts  on  becoming  aware  that  they 
are  insolvent. 

tender.  A  written  offer  to  supply  certain 
articles  upon  specified  terms. 

ticker.  A  telegraphic  printing  machine  for 
recording  Exchange  quotations,  etc. 

tip.'  Private  information  given  to  another 
as  likely  to  yield  him  a  profit  if  he  acts  upon  it. 

tun.  A  large  cask  of  about  four  hogsheads 
or  282  gallons. 

trust.  Money  or  property  held  by  specially 
appointed  persons,  called  trustees,  for  the 
benefit  of  others,  or  to  be  used  for  certain 
purposes  is  said  to  be  held  "  in  trust."  The 
term  is  also  used  for  large  combinations  of 
business  concerns  which  are  often  called  trusts. 

trust  deed.  A  deed  conveying  property  to 
a  trustee. 

trustee.  A  person  appointed  by  will  or  by- 
law to  realize  or  manage  the  property  of 
another. 

underwriter.  iA  person  who  insures ;  so 
called  because  he  underwrites  or  subscribes 
his  name  to  each  policy  he  is  concerned  in, 
as  a  guaranty  that,  in  case  of  loss,  he  will 
answer  for  all  the  stock  of  a  company  which 
is  not  subscribed  for  by  the  public. 

unmerchantable.  When  goods  are  in  any 
way  below  the  usual  standard  or  not  in  their 
natural,  sound  state. 

ultimo.     The  succeeding  month. 

usury.  An  excessive  rate  of  interest 
charged  to  persons  borrowing  money. 

unseaworthy.  When,  owing  to  her  age, 
want  of  repair,  or  incompetency  of  master  and 
crew,  etc.,  the  ship  is  unsafe. 

value  received.  A  term  used  upon  bills 
of  exchange  when  the  drawee  has  received 
goods  or  money. 

vendor.  A  person  on  whose  behalf  a  sale 
is  made,  or  the  person  who  is  himself  the  seller. 

verbatim.    Word  for  word. 

voucher.  Any  document  in  proof  of  the 
payment  or  receipt  of  money  or  of  other 
financial  transactions. 

watering  stock.  To  enlarge  the  number  of 
shares  of  a  company  without  a  proportionate 
increase  of  paid-in  capital  •  as,  to  water, 
railroad  or  telegraph  stock. 
-^way-bill.  A  document  issued  containing 
a  list  of  passengers  or  goods  carried  by  a  public 
company. 


INDEX 


[To  the  student :    If  you  do  not  find  in  this  Index  any  topic  or  word  that 
you  may  be  looking  for,  consult  the  Glossary,  pp.  239-250.] 


ABBREVIATIONS, 

Of  commercial  terms,  etc.,  230-234 

Of  degrees  and  titles,  233-234 

Of  signs  and  figures,  233 

Of  the  Post  Office  Department,  181 
ACCURACY,  IMPORTANCE  OF,  93,  117 
ADDRESSES, 

Clergy,  addresses  of,  18-20 

Officials,  addresses  of,  15-17 
ADVERTISEMENTS,  56,  57,  85,  91,  102 
ANGLO-SAXON, 

Use  of,  in  letters,  55-57 
APPEARANCES  AS  A   FACTOR,  6,  46, 

71,  78-82 

APPLICATION,  LETTERS  OF,  68-86 
ALPHABETICAL     GUIDES,      202-203, 
210-211 

BILL  OF  LADING,  241 
BODY  OF  THE  LETTER,  22 
BREVITY,  2-3,  55,  130 
BUSINESS  ENGLISH, 

Definition,  ix 

Regents'  examination  in  business 
English,  168-169 

Value  of,  ix,  93,  172,  176 

CAPITALIZATION,  30-34,  102,  120,  153 

CARDS,  INDEX,   192-193 

CARD-SYSTEM,    THE,    193-202,    205- 
206,  222-227 

CENTERING,  80-81 

CHECKS,  122,  240,  242 

CHOICE  OF  WORDS  IN  LETTERS,  2-3, 
55-67 

CIRCULAR  LETTERS,    150,    153,    155- 
156 

CLERGY, 

Titles  and  salutations  for,  Catholic, 
18-20,  Protestant,  20 

CODES,  TELEGRAPHIC,  183,  185 

COINS,  FOREIGN,  234-235 

COLLECTION  OF  ACCOUNTS,  144 

COMMERCIAL       TERMS,      ABBREVIA- 
TIONS OF,  230-234 

COMPLAINT,  LETTERS  OF,  129-137 

COMPLIMENTARY  CLOSE,  THE,  22-23, 
106 


CONDOLENCE,  LETTERS  OF,  48 
CONFIDENTIAL     INFORMATION,     RE- 
QUESTS FOR,  105-106 
CONGRATULATIONS,  LETTERS  OF,  48 
CONTRACTIONS,  34-36 
CONTRACTS,     LETTERS     AS,    93-94, 

119 

CORPORATIONS,  TITLES  AND  SALUTA- 
TIONS FOR,  14 
CORRESPONDENCE, 
Review  of,  164-171 
Social  and  Friendly,  43-49 
Value  of,  demonstrated,  73-77 
CREDIT,  LETTERS  ASKING,  95,  96 

DATE-LINE,  THE,  6-8 

DAYS  AND  MONTHS,  CAPITALIZATION 

OF,  36 
DEBTORS, 

Four  classes  of  debtors,  The,  138- 

141 

Letters  to,  138-149 
Outlawry  of  accounts,  144 
Use  and  abuse  of  the  postal  card, 

144,   146 
DEGREES,  ABBREVIATIONS  OF,  233- 

234 

DICTATION,  159-160 
DICTIONARIES,   107,   112 
DIVISIONS  OF  WORDS,  55,  108-110 

EMPLOYEE,  61 
ENCLOSURES,  121,  142 

FIGURES  AND  SIGNS,  39,  233 
FILING  CABINETS,  198-200 
FOLDING, 

Folding  and  inserting  the  letter- 
sheet,  24 

FOLLOW-UP  CARD-SYSTEMS,  204-205 
FOLLOW-UP  LETTERS,  75,  77 
FORM, 

Form  for  a  business  letter,  7 

Form  for  official  or  social  letter,  9 

Matters  of  form,  6-42 
FORMALITY, 

Formal    and    informal    writings, 
47-49 


251 


252 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


FORM-LETTERS,  150-153,  155-156 
FRIENDLY  LETTERS,  43-49 

GEOGRAPHICAL  FILING,  212-213 
GLOSSARY  OF  WORDS  AND  PHRASES 

USED  IN  BUSINESS,  239-250 
GREEK  IN  BUSINESS,  58,  60 

INDEX-GUIDES,    194-197 

INQUIRY,  LETTERS  OF,  100-106,  112- 

115 

INTRODUCTION,  LETTERS  OF,  50-52 
INTRODUCTORY  ADDRESS,  8,  12-20 
INVOICE,  244,  247 

LADIES,    TITLES    AND    SALUTATIONS 

FOR,   12-13,  45 
LATIN  AND  GREEK  WORDS  USED  IN 

BUSINESS,  58,  60 
LETTERS, 

Application,  letters  of,  68-86 
Asking  credit,  letters,  95 
Choice  of  words  in  letters,  55-67 
Circular  letters,   150-153,   155-156 
Complaint,  letters  of,  129-137 
Condolence,     congratulation,     and 

introduction,  letters  of,  48-52 
Contracts,  letters  as,  93-94,  1 19 
Debtors,  letters  to,  138-149 
Diagram    to    test    any    letter,    A, 

58-159 

Follow-up  letters,  75,  77 
Form  letters,   150-153,   155-156 
Inquiry,  letters  of,   100-106,   112- 

115 

Offering  business  letters,  87-99 
Ordering  goods,  letters,  117-128 
Order  of  items  in,  The,  1-2 
Perfect  letter,  A,  How  to  secure, 

157-163 
Politeness  in  letters,  100-125,  129- 

130,   139 
Resignation  and  recommendation, 

letters  of,  154-155,  156 
Review  of  correspondence,  164-171 
Seven  parts  of  a  letter,  The,  6-23 
Social  and  friendly  letters,  43-49 
Twenty-five  tests  for  any  letter, 

157-158 
LETTER-SHEET,    THE, 

Folding  and  inserting,  24 
LOOSE-SHEET    SYSTEM    OF    FILING, 

218-219 

MARGINS,  22,  46,  75 


MONEY,  How  TO  TRANSMIT,  122» 
124 

NARROW-COLUMN   NOTE-HEAD,   88 
NOTE-HEAD,  THE,  IN  SHORT  LETTERS, 

21 
NUMERICAL  FILING,  214-215 

OFFERING  BUSINESS,  LETTERS,  87-99 
OFFICIALS, 

Titles  and  salutations  for,  15-17 
ORDER, 

Items,  order  of,  in  a  letter,  1-2 
ORDERING  GOODS,  LETTERS,  117-128 

PARAGRAPHS, 

Bookkeeper's  paragraph,  123 
Broken  paragraphs,    100,   102 
Order  of  items,  1-2,  152 
Sectional  paragraphs,  104 
Use  in  itemizing,  120,  122 

PER,  126 

PLURALS,  58 

POLITENESS  IN  LETTERS,  100,  125, 
129-130,  139 

POSSESSIVE  CASE,  THE,  39 

POSTAL  CARDS,  USE  AND  ABUSE  OF, 
119,  144,  146 

POST  OFFICE  SERVICE,  THE,  178-182 

POSTSCRIPTS,  3,   122 

PRIVATE  SECRETARY,  DUTIES  OF, 
172-177 

PROOF-READING,  38-39 

PUNCTUATION,  8,  28-29,  44,  1 18 

RE,  61 

RECEPTACLES  IN  FILING,  220-221 

RECOMMENDATION,  LETTERS  OF,  154 

RECORD-KEEPING  AND  RECORD- 
FILING  SYSTEMS,  191 

REGENTS'  EXAMINATION  IN  BUSI- 
NESS ENGLISH,  A,  168-169 

REGISTERED  MAIL,  178 

REMITTANCES,  KINDS  OF,  122,  240, 
242 

RESIGNATION,  LETTERS  OF,  155 

RETURN  ADDRESS,  178 

SALUTATIONS,  8,  12-20,44,  129-130, 

152,  233-234 
SENTENCES, 
Brevity  in,  2-3 
Broken  sentences,  103,  121 
SHANNON      SYSTEM      OF     RECORD- 
FILING,  THE,  218-219 


STYLE-BOOK   OF   BUSINESS   ENGLISH 


253 


SIGNATURE,  THE,  23,  46,  77,   151 
SIGNS  AND  FIGURES,  39,  233 
SINGLE-SPACED  LETTER,  71,  90 
SITUATION,  How  TO  GET  A,  69 
SOCIAL  CORRESPONDENCE,  43-49 
SPECIAL  DELIVERY  MAIL,  178-179 
SPECIMEN      LETTERS,      TELEGRAMS, 
ETC.,  47,  48,  49,  50,  51,  57,  70, 
71,  74,  75,  88,  89,  90,  91,  94,  101, 
102,    103,    104,    106,    118,    119, 
121,    123,    130,    139,    142,    143, 
145,    146,    151,    152,    153,    154, 
155,    184,    222,    226,    227,    241, 
242 
SPELLING, 

Choice  of  dictionaries,  107 
Divisions  of  words,  108-110 
Importance  of  correct  spelling,  107 
One  hundred  commonly  misspelled 

words,  115-116 

Use  of  preface  to  dictionaries,  108 
Words  with  troublesome  endings, 
236-238 


STAMPS,  USE  OF,  122 

STATIONERY,  KINDS  OF,  22,  43,  44, 

79-80 
STENOGRAPHERS.    ADVICE    TO,    159- 

160 
SUBJECT  FILING,  216-217 

SUPERSCRIPTION,  8,  10-11,  14-20 

STYLE-BOOK  OF  BUSINESS  ENGLISH, 

How  constructed,  x 

How  to  use,  ix 

TELEGRAPH  SERVICE,  THE,   183-186 
TEST-LETTERS,  59,  60,  92,  111,  124, 

125,  126,  131,  132,  133,  134 
TESTS,      TWENTY-FIVE      FOR      ANY 

LETTER,  157 
TYPEWRITING  STYLE,  QUESTIONS  ON, 

160-161 

VERTICAL  FILING,  206-210 
WIRELESS  TELEGRAPHY,  185-186 


PHONOGRAPHIC   WORKS. 

Course  in  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand.  Cloth,  embossed  in  gold 
240  pp.,  $1.50.  A  Course  of  Forty  Lessons  in  the  Isaac  Pitman 
System  of  Shorthand,  specially  designed  for  the  Shorthand 
Amanuensis  and  adapted  for  use  in  Business  Colleges,  Academies, 
and  High  Schools.  This  work  is  officially  used  in  the  High  Schools 
of  New  York,  Brooklyn,  and  other  large  cities.  Also  in  the 
leading  business  schools.  Special  features  of  this  work  are — 

Position  Writing  from  the  Beginning. 
Words  and  Sentences  introduced  in  the  1st  Lesson. 
Business  Letters  in  the  9th  and  subsequent  Lessons. 
Phraseography  taught  from  the  5th  Lesson. 
Reporting  Style  taught  from  the  Beginning. 

"  We  are  getting  excellent  results  with  Isaac  Pitman's  '  Short 
Course  in  Shorthand,'  and  we  expect  to  save  almost  a  term  by 
the  use  of  it.  All  of  our  shorthand  teachers  praise  it  highly." — 
Edwin  A.  Bolger,  Teacher  of  Isaac  Pitman's  Shorthand, 
Commercial  High  School,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

%*  A  Special  Edition  of  "  Course  "  is  published  in  Lesson  Sheet 
Form  for  the  use  of  teachers  and  schools  who  give  instruction  by 
mail.  Each  lesson  is  printed  in  a  separate  part  and  enclosed  in 
a  cardboard  box.  $1.50. 

Key  to  "  Course."    Cloth,  gilt,  60c. 

Key  to  "  Course."     Lesson  Sheet  Form,  60c. 

Brief  Course  in  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand.  Cloth,  gilt,  174  pp., 
$1.25.  A  condensed  form  of  "  Course  "  arranged  in  27  Lessons 
and  especially  adapted  for  evening  schools. 

Supplementary  Exercises  in  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand  (Part  1),  48  pp., 
25c.  A  Series  of  Graded  Exercises  in  ordinary  type  on  every 
rule  in  the  system,  specially  compiled  and  adapted  for  use  with 
"  Course  in  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand." 

Isaac  Pitman's  Shorthand  Instructor.  Cloth,  embossed  in  gold, 
313  pp.,  $1.50.  An  Exposition  of  Isaac  Pitman's  System  of 
Phonography.  Containing  instruction  for  both  beginners  and 
advanced  students,  with  copious  lists  ot  Phrases  and  Exercises, 
Business  Letters,  etc.  The  general  plan  of  the  "  Instructor  " 
makes  it  equally  acceptable  for  self-tuition  and  for  class-use. 

%*  The  "  Shorthand  Instructor  "  is  also  published  in  two  parts, 
as  follows — 

Complete  Amanuensis  Course.  (Part  1.)  182  pp.,  cloth,  gilt, 
$1.00. 

The  New  Phonographic  Reporter.  (Part  2.)  131  pp.,  cloth,  gilt, 
$1.00. 

Key  to  "New  Phonographic  Reporter."    Lesson  Sheet  Form,  25c. 

Key  to  "  Shorthand  Instructor,"  50c. :  cloth,  60c.  Contains  a 
Shorthand  and  Longhand  Key  to  all  the  Exercises,  and  furnishes 
Answers  to  the  Review  Questions. 

Pitman's  Shorthand  Writing  Exercises  and  Examination  Tests. 
Cloth,  gilt,  220  pp.,  60c.  This  work  contains  exhaustive  classified 
lists  of  words  illustrative  of  every  rule  in  the  system,  and  over 
100  graduated  sentence  exercises  in  ordinary  print  for  wr.'ting 


or  dictation  practice.  No  word  is  introduced  before  the  rule 
governing  it  has  been  mastered  by  the  learner.  Brief  guidance 
is  given  at  the  head  of  sections,  and  there  are  exercises  on  upward 
and  downward  sh  ;  also  special  exercises  on  the  Contractions. 

Key  to  "  Shorthand  Writing  Exercises."    In  Shorthand.    $1.25. 

Preliminary  Instruction  for  the  Study  of  Isaac  Pitman's  Shorthand 
by  Correspondence.  A  simple  and  extended  exposition  of  the 
Art  as  presented  in  "  Course  in  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand,"  and 
to  be  used  in  conjunction  with  the  Lesson  Sheet  Edition  of  this 
work.  40c. 

The  Phonographic  Teacher.  48  pp.,  25c.  A  Guide  to  a  Practical 
Acquaintance  with  the  Art  of  Phonography.  Three  nrvlMon 
seven  hundred  thousand. 

Key  to  the"  Teacher."  20c.  Of  great  value  to  the  Private  Student. 

Practice  Letters  for  Beginners  in  Shorthand.  64  pp.,  35c.  The 
need  of  a  book  presenting  dictation  matters  in  the  form  of  letters 
beginning  with  the  first  principles  and  developing  in  harmony 
with  the  text-books  has  long  been  felt  by  practical  teachers. 
It  is  believed  that  this  work  meets  this  need  in  a  very  satisfactory 
manner.  The  simple  sentences  illustrating  the  first  few  lessons 
relating  to  consonants,  long  and  short  vowels  and  grammalogs 
are  arranged  in  letter  form. 

First  Lessons  in  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand.  36  pp.,  10o.  A  reprint 
of  the  first  seven  lessons  from  "  Course  in  Isaac  Pitman 
Shorthand." 

The  Phonographic  Exercise  Book.  lOc.  Made  of  the  best  quality 
paper,  in  single  or  double  lines. 

Graduated  Tests  in  Isaac  Pitman's  Shorthand.  80  pp.,  20c.  A  series 
of  revisionary  exercises,  arranged  on  an  entirely  new  plan,  with 
the  object  of  testing  the  student's  knowledge  of  the  system.  The 
tests  consist  of  a  very  carefully  chosen  list  of  1,600  words  in 
ordinary  print,  illustrating  the  whole  of  the  rules,  forming  a 
valuable  means  of  adding  to  the  student's  phonographic  vocabu- 
1  ary.  There  is  a  space  for  the  learner's  first  outline  ;  a  space  for 
the  teacher's  correction,  should  such  be  required  ;  and  spaces 
for  the  pupil  to  re-write  the  correct  form. 

Pitman's  Graded  Shorthand  Readings.  CENTENARY  EDITIONS. 
Elementary,  with  Key.  63  pp.,  25c.  Intermediate,  with  Key, 
72  pp. ,  30c.  These  two  books  contain  a  series  of  readings  dealing 
with  the  principles  of  Pitman's  Shorthand  as  developed  in  the 
Shorthand  Instructor. 

Pitman's  Shorthand  Reading  Lessons,  No.  1.   48  pp.,  20c.   For  use 
with  the  "  Teacher,"  "  Manual,"  or  "  Instructor,"  and  furnishing 
reading  practice  and  word-building  from  the  beginning. 
Key  to  Shorthand  Reading  Lessons,  No.  1,  in  ordinary  type.    6c. 

Pitman's  Shorthand  Reading  Lessons,  No.  2.    61  pp.,  25c. 

Key  to  Shorthand  Reading  Lessons,  No.  2,  in  ordinary  type.    6c. 

Letter  Dictation  from  the  Beginning.  32  pp.,  20c.  A  series  of 
practical  business  and  general  letters  (in  ordinary  print)  based 
on  the  principles  of  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand. 


Progressive  Studies  in  Phonography.  40c. ;  cloth,  60c.  A  simple 
and  extended  exposition  of  the  Art  of  Phonetic  Shorthand,  as 
set  forth  in  the  "  Teacher,"  the  "  Manual,"  and  the  "  Reporter  "  ; 
intended  as  a  supplementary  book  to  these  three. 

Talks  with  Shorthand  Students.  Ill  PP.,  40c. ;  cloth,  50c.  Prin- 
ciples of  Pitman's  Shorthand,  and  designed  to  help  the  student 
of  Pitman's  Shorthand,  whether  under  instruction  or  mastering 
the  art  by  his  own  efforts. 

Chats  About  Pitman's  Shorthand.  50c. ;  cloth,  gilt,  60c.  Contains 
a  series  of  35  "  Chats  "  on  the  system.  As  the  student  progresses 
through  the  book  he  will  find  innumerable  hints  and  many  useful 
examples  which  will  assist  him  to  a  thorough  mastery  of  the 
rules.  This  book,  like  the  popular  "Talks  with  Shorthand 
Students,"  will  be  specially  useful  to  the  self-taught  student  and 
also  to  the  prospective  teacher. 

The  "  Fono  "  Headline  Shorthand  Copy  Books.  BOOKS  A,  B,  AND  C. 
Each,  lOc.  Containing  a  series  of  beautifully  engraved  graduated 
copies  to  be  written  in  Shorthand. 

Exercises  in  Phonography.  5c.  A  series  of  graduated  sentence 
exercises. 

Pitman's  Shorthand  Gradus.  6c.  A  series  of  Writing  Exercises 
for  use  with  the  "  Instructor  "  or  "  Manual."  Also  contains  a 
full  list  of  Consonant  Outlines,  and  exercises  on  same. 

JEsop's  Fables.    20c.    In  the  Learner's  Style.    A  valuable  reading 

bx>k  in  words  of  one  syllable. 

Easy  Readings.  20c.  In  the  Learner's  Style  of  Shorthand,  with  Key. 
The  Learner's  Shorthand  Reader.    20c. 

A    Compend   of   Phonography.      5c.      Containing  the  Alphabet, 

Gramma'.ogues  and  principal  Rules  for  Writing. 

Pitman's  Shorthand  Manual.  176  pp.,  60c. ;  cloth,  75c.  Being 
a  condensed  edition  of  Part  1  of  the  "  Instructor."  and  con- 
taining an  exposition  of  the  system,  with  numerous  engraved 
shorthand  examples  interspersed  with  the  text.  Review  Questions, 
and  Exercises  in  reading  and  writing. 

"Teacher  "  and  "Manual."    In  1  vol.,  roan,  gilt,  $1.00. 

Key  to  Exercises  in  "  Manual."  20c.  With  Answers  to  the  Review 

Questions. 
The  Phonographic  Reader.    20c.    A  course  of  Reading  Exercises 

in  Phonography,  with  Key. 
Pitman's  Shorthand  Reporter.    150  pp.,  75c. ;  cloth,  85c.    Being 

a  condensed  edition  of   Part  2  of  the   "  Instructor      and  an 

adaptation  of  Phonography  to  Verbatim  Reporting. 

Key  to  the  "Reporter."    20c. 

Reporting  Exercises.      20c.      Intended   as   a  Companion  to  the 
tV  Reporter";      containing    exercises    on    all     the    rules    and 
contracted  words  in  this  book. 

Key  to  the  "  Reporting  Exercises."    40c. :   cloth,  50c.    In  which 

all  the  Exercises  are  presented  in  Shorthand. 


The  Acquisition  of  Speed  in  Phonography.  63pp.,20c.  In  ordinary 
type.  Containing  chapters  on  the  following  subjects :  The 
System— The  Importance  of  Thoroughness  and  Method  of  Study 
— Elementary  Speed  Practice — Tests  of  Speed — Facsimiles  of 
Notes  at  209  words  and  over  per  minute. 

How  to  Obtain  Speed  in  Shorthand.  20  pp.,  lOc.  Containing 
practical  advice  from  the  leading  congressional,  court,  and 
convention  reporters. 

The  Grammalogues  and  Contractions  of  Pitman's  "  Reporter."  10c. 
„  „  „  „  Vest  pocket  size.  lOc. 

How  to  Practice  and  Memorize  the  Grammalogues.  32  pp.,  20c. 
An  extremely  useful  book  for  practice,  arranged  sectionally  in 
the  order  in  which  they  appear  in  the  "  Course "  and  the 
"  Instructor."  After  the  list  of  grammalogues  in  each  section, 
there  is  a  series  of  letters  consisting  of  grammalogues  for  dictation. 

Exercises  on  the  Grammalogues  and  Contractions.  40  pp.,  limp 
cloth,  25c.  In  Shorthand,  with  Key.  The  feature  of  this  useful 
book,  which  is  specially  adapted  for  the  revision  of  the  gram- 
malogues and  contractions,  is  that  the  exercises  are  arranged 
alphabetically — a  method  which  will  be  found  of  great  con- 
venience to  the  student.  The  book  will  also  be  of  service  in 
providing  suitable  matter  for  dictation  practice.  Complete  lists 
of  the  grammalogues  (arranged  alphabetically  and  phonetically) 
and  contractions  (arranged  alphabetically)  are  contained  at  the 
end  of  the  book. 

The  Phonographic  Phrase  Book.  88  pp.,  40c. ;  cloth,  50c.  Con- 
taining above  2,000  useful  phrases  in  Phonography,  with  Key 
and  an  exercise  occupying  43  pages,  containing  all  the  phrases 
as  they  occur  in  the  book. 


Pitman's  Shorthand  Dictionary.  327  PP.,  cloth,  $1.50 
"  Library  Edition,"  roan,  gilt,  colored  edges,  $1.75.  Centenary 
Edition,'  Revised  and  Enlarged,  containing  the  Shorthand 
Reporting  Outlines,  beautifully  printed  from  engraved  characters, 
of  over  62,000  words  and  geographical  names,  with  parallel  Key 
in  ordinary  type.  Also  a  complete  list  of  Grammalogues  and 
Contracted  Words  alphabetically  arranged.  The  most  com- 
prehensive Shorthand  Dictionary  published.  Specimen  pages  free. 

"  An  exceedingly  valuable  work." — N.  Y.  Sun. 

Pocket  Shorthand  Dictionary.  224  pp.,  cloth,  75c. ;  French  morocco, 
gilt,  size  3  X  4£  in.,  $1.00.  Contains  over  22,000  words,  with 
their  shorthand  characters,  and  a  complete  list  of  Grammalogues 
and  Contractions.  A  small,  handy  work,  thoroughly  up-to-date, 
and  beautifully  engraved. 

Cumulative  Speller  and  Shorthand  Vocabulary.  145  pp.,  cloth,  gilt, 
50c.  Adopted  by  the  Isew  York  Board  of  Education.  For 
further  particulars  oj  this  work,  see  page  12. 

The  Reporter's  Assistant.  132  pp.,  50c. ;  cloth,  60c.  A  Key  to 
the  Reading  of  the  Reporting  Style  of  Phonography.  All  the 
words  in  the  dictionary,  not  exceeding  three  consonants,  were 
written  in  Shorthand,  and  from  this  extensive  list  of  outlines 
has  been  drawn  all  words  that  contain  the  same  outline,  and 
they  have  been  classified  according  to  their  forms.  Of  great  aid 
in  reading  one's  notes. 


Technical  Reporting.  60  pp.,  50c. :  cloth,  60c.  Comprising 
Phonographic  Abbreviations  for  words  and  phrases  commonly 
met  with  in  Reporting  Legal,  Medical,  Scientific,  and  other 
Technical  Subjects,  with  type  key. 

Pitman's  Progressive  Dictator.  220  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  85c.  A  Com- 
plete Manual  of  Dictation,  comprising  selections  of  original  letters 
relating  to  27  different  lines  of  business,  arranged  with  vocabu- 
laries of  engraved  shorthand  outlines  and  phrases,  and  the  matter 
counted  for  timing  at  varying  rates  of  speed.  This  is  the  latest 
and  best  dictation  book  published,  and  should  be  in  the  hands 
of  every  student. 

%*  An  edition  of  this  work,  entitled  "  The  Progressive  Dictator," 
(price  75c.)  is  also  issued,  without  the  shorthand  characters,  for 
those  schools  teaching  other  than  the  Isaac  Pitman  system. 

Pocket  Dictation  Books,  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  and  4.  Size  2'  in.  x  4f  in., 
48  pp.  Price  8c.  each.  These  handy  dictation  books  consist  of 
a  reprint  from  the  keys  in  ordinary  print  to  the  speeches  and 
other  matter  which  has  appeared  in  the  Reporting  Style  pages 
of  Pitman's  (English)  Journal. 

Practical  Business  Letters  in  Shorthand.  64  pp.,  30c.  A  series  of 
Business  Letters,  in  engraved  Isaac  Pitman's  shorthand,  con- 
taining 76  letters  on  the  following  subjects  :  Railroad  Corre- 
spondence— Life  Insurance — Banking — Fruit  and  Produce — 
Real  Estate,  etc.  A  letterpress  Key  is  provic"°d  at  the  end  of 
the  book. 

Business  Correspondence  in  Shorthand,  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  and  7. 
40  pp.  each.  25c.  each.  A  series  of  valuable  books  containing 
actual  correspondence  in  various  branches  of  business.  Each 
book  is  Keyed  in  ordinary  type  and  the  matter  counted  for  speed 
practice  in  either  shorthand  or  typewriting.  Stenographers, 
after  completing  their  studies,  feel  the  need  of  some  practical 
material  to  enable  them  to  keep  up  their  practice  and  at  the 
same  time  increase  their  speed. 

LIST  OF  CONTENTS. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  No.  1.  Subjects 
treated  :  Railroad  Correspondence  —  Law  (General)  —  Law 
(Patents) — Law  (Pensions) — Banking — Stock  Brokers' — Hard- 
ware— Lumber — Boots  and  Shoes — Miscellaneous — Power  of 
Attorney  Form,  etc. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  No.  2.  Subjects 
treated  :  Real  Estate  Correspondence — Financial — Legal  ana 
Law —  Hardware —  Dry  Goods  —  Insurance  —  Electrical  —  Boots 
and  Shoes — Lumber — Publishing — Miscellaneous,  etc. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  No.  3.  Subjects 
treated  :  Advertising  Correspondence — Agents — Automobile — 
Bicycle — Boiler  Appliance,  etc. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  No.  4.  Subjects 
treated  :  Boiler  Appliance  Correspondence — Bookbinding — 
Builders' —  Collections  —  Copying  Office — Cotton  —  Desks  —  Dry 
Goods — Drugs,  etc. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  No.  5.  Subjects 
treated  :  Dry  Goods  Correspondence — Electrical  Construction — 
Express — Financial  Standing — Fire  Insurance — Flour  and  Feed 
— Furniture,  etc. 


BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  No.  6.  Subjects 
treated  :  Groceries  —  Hardware  —  Hotel — Investment — Legal — 
Life  Insurance,  etc. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  No.  7.  Subjects 
treated  :  Life  Insurance — Lumber — Municipal — Paper  and 
Envelopes — Patents  and  Trade  Marks — Patent  Foods — Pensions 
— Pianos — Pottery,  etc. 

%*  This  work  is  also  published  in  the  following  convenient  forms 
in  cloth  binding. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  Nos.  1  and  2,  in  one 
volume.  Cloth,  gilt,  80  pp.,  60c. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  Nos.  3  and  4,  in  one 
volume.  Cloth,  80  pp.,  60c. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  Nos.  5  and  6,  in  one 
volume.  Cloth,  80  pp.,  60c. 

BUSINESS  CORRESPONDENCE  IN  SHORTHAND,  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  and  4. 
In  one  volume.  Special  Shorthand  Edition  without  Type  Key. 
Cloth  gilt,  88  pp.,  75c. 

Shorthand  in  the  Office.    130  pp.,  40c. ;   cloth,  50c. 

Graduated  Dictation  Books.  47  pp.,  10c.  each.  For  acquiring 
Speed  in  Shorthand  and  Typewriting.  Adapted  to  any  system. 
The  reading  matter  is  divided  on  a  new  and  improved  plan. 
Divided  for  speeds  of  50,  80,  100,  and  160  words  per  minute. 
No.  1. — Political  Speeches.  No.  2. — Sermons.  No.  3. — 
Commercial.  No.  4. — Speeches  and  Addresses. 

Key,  in  Shorthand,  to  the  Graduated  Dictation  Book,  Nos.  1  and  2. 
20c.  each. 

Pitman's  Commercial  Correspondence  in  Shorthand.  224  pp.,  cloth, 
85c.  A  series  of  model  business  letters  in  engraved  Phonography. 
The  letters  are  examples  of  the  best  business  style  of  the  present 
day,  and  in  this  respect  possess  important  advantages  over  other 
publications  of  a  similar  character. 

Commercial  Correspondence  and  Commercial  English.  272  pp., 
cloth,  85c.  A  Practical  Manual  of  Commercial  Correspondence, 
forming  a  key  to  "  Commercial  Correspondence  in  Shorthand." 
All  the  letters  are  counted  for  shorthand  and  typewriting  speed 
practice,  and  editions  are  published  in  Spanish,  French,  and 
German,  corresponding  page  for  page. 

Instruction  in  Legal  Work.  40  pp.,  25c.  In  ordinary  type.  For 
Court  Stenographers  and  Law  Students.  Reprinted  from 
"  Pitman's  Twentieth  Century  Dictation  and  Legal  Forms." 

Military  Phrase  Book.    40  pp.,  40c. 
Electrical  Terms  and  Phrases.    50  pp.,  50< . 

Pitman's  Shorthand  Writer's  Phrase  Books  and  Guides.  Cloth. 
Price,  each  75c.  These  volumes  form  a  new  series  of  books 
designed  for  practical  shorthand  writers  engaged  in  special 
departments  of  work.  They  comprise  a  most  comprehensive 
and  exhaustive  list  of  phrases  in  ordinary  type,  followed  by 
engraved  shorthand  forms.  The  following  volumes  are  now 
ready :  ELECTRICAL  AND  ENGINEERING.  SHIPPING.  REAL 
ESTATE,  ARCHITECTS,  AND  SURVEYORS.  PRINTERS'  AND 
PUBLISHERS'.  RAILROAD.  INSURANCE.  MUNICIPAL.  STOCK- 
BROKING.  COMMERCIAL  AND  LEGAL. 


t  The  Stenographic  Expert.  For  Isaac  Pitman  writers.  264  pp., 
cloth,  $2.25.  By  WILLARD  B.  BOTTOME  and  WILLIAM  F.  SMART. 
See  page  14  for  further  information. 

Pitman's  Speed  Tests  and  Guide  to  Rapid  Writing  in  Shorthand. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth,  75c.  This  new  work  is  divided  into  two  parts  : 
Part  I  contains  advice  on  the  acquisition  of  speed,  by  R.  J. 
GARWOOD,  S.  H.  GODFREY,  and  WILLIAM  F.  SMART — all  well- 
known  speed  writers  in  the  shorthand  world.  Part  II  contains 
a  series  of  speed  tests  of  upwards  of  1,000  words  each,  counted 
for  dictation  practice. 


ADAPTATIONS  OF  ISAAC  PITMAN'S 

PHONOGRAPHY  TO  FOREIGN 

LANGUAGES. 

Taquigrafia  Espanola  de  Isaac  Pitman.  New  Edition  Revised. 
128  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  ?>1.25.  Adaptacicn  a  la  Lengua  Espanola 
del  Sistema  de  Fonografia  del  Autor.  Para  uso  de  Escuelas  de 
Comercio,  Institutes  y  tambien  para  Estudio  Personal.  Being 
an  Adaptation  of  Isaac  Pitman's  Shorthand  to  the  Spanish 
Language.  Designed  for  use  in  Business  Colleges,  High  Schools, 
and  for  Self-Instruction. 

Key  to  Taquigrafla  Espanola.  Cloth,  gilt,  $1.00.  With  additional 
Exercises. 

Manual  de  Fonografia  Espanola  per  Guillermo  Parody.  An  adapta- 
tion of  Isaac  Pitman's  Shorthand  to  the  Spanish  language. 
New  and  Revised  Edition.  101  pp.,  $1.25. 

French  Phonography.  40c.  ;  cloth,  50c.  Third  Edition.  Revised 
and  Enlarged.  An  adaptation  of  Phonography  to  the  French 
language.  By  T.  A.  REED. 

French  Shorthand  Commercial  Correspondence.  A  Series  of  Busi- 
ness Letters  in  French  Phonography,  with  type  Key.  Cloth, 
89  pp.,  75c. 

Stenographic  Pitman.  Cloth,  gilt,  $1.25.  An  adaptation  of 
Phonography  to  the  French  language.  By  SPENCER  HERBERT. 

German  Phonography.  Crown  8vo,  64  pp.,  50c. ;  cloth,  60c.  An 
adaptation  of  Phonography  to  the  German  language. 

Manuale  di  Fonografia  Italiana.  50c.  An  adaptation  of  Phono- 
graphy to  the  Italian  language.  By  GIUSEPPE  FRANCINI. 

Dutch  Phonography.  $1.50.  An  adaptation  of  Phonography  to 
the  Dutch  language.  By  F.  DE  HAAN. 

Phonographia  sef  Llaw  Fer  Yn  01  Trefn  Isaac  Pitman.    50c.    An 

adaptation  of  Phonography  to  the  Welsh  language.     By  Rev. 
R.  H.  MORGAN,  M.A. 


Manual  of  Latin  Phonography.  By  Rev.  W.  TATLOCK,  S.J.  An 
adaptation  of  Isaac  Pitman's  Shorthand  to  the  Latin  language. 
Cloth,  gilt,  $1.25. 

Japanese  Phonography.    English,  examples,  etc.,  in  Japanese. 

*  £  0  *  e  *  E  * 


EDWARD  GAUNTLETT'S  adaptation  of  Pitman's  Shorthand  to  the 
Japanese  language  ;  in  Japanese.  With  Book  of  Exercises, 
complete,  price  $1.25. 

Pitman's  Phonography  adapted  to  Esperanto.    Limp  cloth,  50c. 


SHORTHAND  READING  BOOKS. 

The  student,  to  increase  his  speed,  and  to  improve  his  know- 
ledge of  Phonography,  cannot  read  too  much  well- engraved  short- 
hand. One  advantage  of  studying  the  Isaac  Pitman  system — 
and  one  which  cannot  well  be  over-estimated — is,  that  the  short- 
hand literature  in  that  system  is  far  in  excess  of  all  other  systems 
combined. 

"  We  would  emphasize  still  further  the  wealth  of  literature 
the  Isaac  Pitman  system  has.  .  .  .  These  publishers  are 
continually  issuing  new  works  in  shorthand,  and  this  in  itself 
should  make  their  system  a  great  force  in  the  shorthand  world." 
— Business  Journal  (New  York). 

"  We  wish  to  repeat  what  we  have  said  before  with  refer- 
ence to  the  literature  sent  out  by  Isaac  Pitman  &  Sons,  and 
that  is,  that  the  very  extensive  line  they  furnish  is  of  itself 
the  highest  recommendation  for  the  system.  No  other  system 
furnishes  as  much." — American  Penman  (New  York). 

IN  THE  CORRESPONDING  STYLE. 

delect  Readings,  No.  1.  48  pp.,  20c.  An  entirely  new  book  of 
readings.  Partial  list  of  selections  :  "  A  Rill  from  the  Town 
Pump  "  (NATHANIEL  HAWTHORNE)  ;  "  The  Heart  of  London  " 
(CHARLES  DICKENS)  ;  "  The  Man  in  Black  "  (OLIVER  GOLDSMITH); 
"  Household  Superstitions  "  (JOSEPH  ADDISON)  ;  "  Caught  in  the 
Quicksand"  (VICTOR  HUGO),  etc. 

Select  Readings,  No.  2.  48  pp.,  20c.  Containing  "A  First  Night 
at  Sea  "  (RICHARD  H.  DANA)  ;  "  Niagara  "  (DICKENS)  ;  "  The 
Candid  Man  "  (BULWER  LYTTON),  etc. 

Mugby  Junction  and  Other  Stories.  By  CHARLES  DICKENS.  50c.  ; 
cloth,  60c. 

A  Shorthand  Birthday  Book  of  Dickens  Quotations.  In  the  Corre- 
sponding Style  of  Pitman's  Shorthand.  Cloth,  gilt,  85c.  This 
charming  volume  contains  favorite  quotations  from  the  works 
of  Charles  Dickens  for  every  day  in  the  year.  Three  days  to  a 
page,  with  ample  space  for  birthday  entries.  Artistically  printed 
and  very  tastefully  produced. 

The  Chimes.    127  pp.,  50c.  ;   cloth,  60c.    By  CHARLES  DICKENS. 
8 


The  Battle  of  Life.     130  pp.,  40c.  ;    cloth,  50c.      By  CHARLES 

DICKENS. 
The  Silver  Ship  of  Mexico.    132  pp.,  40c. ;   cloth,  50c.    By  J.  H. 

INGRAHAM. 

The  Book  of  Psalms.    160  pp.,  40c. ;   cloth,  50c. 
Self-Culture.    91  pp.,  40c.  ;    cloth,  50c.     By  PROF.  BLACKIE. 
Gulliver's  Voyage  to  Lilliput.    88  pp.,  40c.  ;   cloth,  50c.    By  DEAN 

SWIFT. 
Tales  and  Sketches.    96  pp.,  40c.  ;    cloth,  50c.     By  WASHINGTON 

IRVING  ;    with  Printed  Key. 
Robinson  Crusoe.    309  pp.,  60c. ;   cloth,  75c.    By  DANIEL  DEFOE. 

Illustrated.     This  work  is  extremely  well  adapted  for  use  as  a 

shorthand   reader,  and,    in   attractive   cloth    binding,   forms   a 

handsome  prize  volume. 
The  Vicar  of  Wakeneld.    Illustrated.    280  pp.,  50c. ;  cloth,  60c. 

IN  THE  REPORTING  STYLE. 

Miscellaneous  Readings.  61pp.,35c. ;  cloth,  gilt,  60c.  An  entirely 
new  series  of  Shorthand  Dictation  Exercises  with  printed  Key, 
and  the  matter  counted  for  testing  of  speed  in  Shorthand  or 
Typewriting. 

Selections  from  American  Authors.  112  pp.,  40c. ;  cloth,  50c. 
With  Key  in  ordinary  type  at  the  foot  of  each  page,  and  con- 
taining the  following  selections  :  "  The  Buccaneer's  Treasure  " 
(IRVING)  ;  "  My  Editing  "  (TWAIN)  ;  "  A  Venerable  Impostor  " 
(HARTE)  ;  "  The  Autocrat  of  the  Breakfast  Table  "  (HOLMES)  ; 
"  The  Way  to  Wealth  "  (FRANKLIN)  ;  "  The  Tell-Tale  Heart  " 
(PoE)  ;  "  Greatness  in  Common  Life  "  (CHANNING)  ;  "  The 
Story  of  a  Drum  "  (HARTE)  ;  "  The  Procession  of  Life  "  (HAW- 
THORNE) ;  "  A  Melting  Story  "  (TWAIN)  ;  "  The  Professor  at 
the  Breakfast  Table"  (HOLMES). 

The  Cricket  on  the  Hearth.  132  pp.,  50c. ;  cloth,  60c.  By  CHARLES 
DICKENS. 

Brief  Reporting  Notes  in  Shorthand,  or  Shorthand  Dictation  Exer- 
cises. 48pp.,25c.  With  printed  Key,  and  the  matter  counted  and 
timed  for  testing  of  Speed  either  in  Shorthand  or  Typewriting. 

The  Sign  of  Four.  171  pp.,  50c.  ;  cloth,  60c.  By  A.  CONAN  DOYLE. 
This  famous  detective  story  forms  a  very  attractive  book  of 
phonographic  reading. 

Tales  from  Dickens.  147  pp.,  50c.  ;  cloth,  60c.  Containing  "  The 
Tuggs's  at  Ramsgate,"  "  The  Bloomsbury  Christening,"  "  The 
Great  Winglebury  Duel,"  and  "  Mr.  Watkins  Tottle,"  from 
"  Sketches  by  Boz,"  forming  Vol.  5  of  "  Pitman's  Shorthand 
Library."  In  engraved  shorthand,  Reporting  Style.  With  17 
original  illustrations  and  heading. 

Around  the  World  in  Eighty  Days.  184  pp.,  50c. ;  cloth,  60c. 
By  JULES  VERNE. 

The  Haunted  Man.  104  pp.,  50c. ;  cloth,  gilt,  60c.  By  CHAS. 
DICKENS.  21  Original  page  Illustrations. 

Thankful  Blossom.    105  pp.,  40c.  ;   cloth,  50c.    By  BRET  HARTE. 

A  Christmas  Carol.  lllpp.,40c.  ;  cloth,  50c.  By  CHARLES  DICKENS. 

t  High  Speed  in  Shorthand  :  How  to  Attain  It.  64  pp.,  40c.  With 
type  Key. 


Scenes  from  Pickwick.  By  CHARLES  DICKENS.  Cloth  g'Jt,  260  pp., 
with  pen  illustrations  by  CHARLES  RICHARDSON.  Price  85c. 
This  work  contains  a  selection  of  the  finest  scenes  and  incidents 
from  Dickens's  immortal  masterpiece,  including  the  following : 
"  The  Cricket  Match  at  Muggleton  "  ;  "  The  Cricket  Dinner  at 
the  Blue  Lion  at  Muggleton  "  ;  "  Eatanswill  Election  "  ;  "  Mr. 
Pickwick  and  Mrs.  Bardell  "  ;  "  Bardell  v.  Pickwick  "  ;  "  Dodson 
and  Fogg  "  ;  "  The  Christmas  Dinner  at  Dingley  Dell  "  :  "  The 
Pickwickians  on  Skates."  Any  edition  of  Pickwick  may  be  used 
as  a  key  to  the  shorthand. 

f  Shorthand  Examinations  :  How  to  Prepare  for  and  How  to  Pass 

Them.    25c. 

t  Won— and  Lost.    25c.     By  JOHN  TAYLOR. 
t  The  Phantom  Stockman.    32  pp.,  20c.    By  GUY  BOOTHBY. 
Gleanings,  Nos.  1  and  2.     48  pp.  each.      Each  20c.      Containing 

reproductions  of  notable  essays  by  T.  A.  REED  and  others,  or 

shorthand  matters,  with  printed  Key. 
The  Legend  of  Sleepy  Hollow.     62  pp.,  20c.      By  WASHINGTON 

IRVING.     With  printed  Key  at  the  foot  of  each  page. 
Rip  Van  Winkle.    32  pp.,  20c.     By  WASHINGTON  IRVING.     With 

printed  Key. 
The  Bible  in  Shorthand.      Cloth,  beveled  boards,  red  edges,   $3  ; 

roan,  gilt  edges,  $3.50 ;   morocco,  gilt  edges,  $4.50.    Each  style 

has  a  silk  marker  and  comes  boxed.     Containing  the  Old  and 

New  Testaments. 
The  New  Testament.     368  pp.,  roan,  red  edges,   $1.50;    Turkey 

morocco,    gilt    edges,    $2.       In    an    Easy    Reporting   Style   of 

Phonography. 
The  Book  of  Common  Prayer.    296  pp.,  roan,  red  edges,  $1.50 ; 

Turkey  morocco,  gilt  edges,   $2.     In  an  Easy  Reporting  Style 

of  Phonography. 

The  Church  Services  (entire).     935  pp.,  roan,  $3;    morocco,   $4. 

In  an  Easy  Reporting  Style  of  Phonography. 
t  Commercial  Shorthand.    40c.     A  Reading  and  Dictation  Book, 

with  Introduction  by  E.  A.  COPE. 

TYPEWRITING. 

Practical  Course  in  Touch  Typewriting.  By  CHAS.  E.  SMITH,  Author 
of  Cumulative  Speller."  Eleventh  Edition,  revised  and  enlarged, 
50c.  ;  cloth,  75c.  A  Scientific  Method  of  Mastering  the  Keyboard 
by  the  Sense  of  Touch.  The  design  of  this  work  is  to  teach  Touch 
Typewriting  in  such  a  way  that  the  student  will  operate  by  touch 
— will  have  an  absolute  command  of  every  key  on  the  keyboard, 
and  be  able  to  strike  any  key  more  readily  without  looking  than 
would  be  the  case  with  the  aid  of  sight.  A  separate  Chart,  con- 
taining Keyboard  and  Diagrams  printed  in  five  colors,  on  a  heavy 
double-calendered  cardboard,  accompanies  each  copy.  Contains 
specimens  of  actual  Business  Letters,  Legal  Forms,  Specifications, 
Instructions  for  the  Use  of  the  Tabulator,  etc.,  all  printed  in 
actual  typewriter  type.  In  ordering,  state  whether  Single  or 
Double  Keyboard  Edition  or  Oliver  Edition  is  desired.  Adopted 
by  the  New  York,  Boston,  Baltimore,  Syracuse,  Denver,  Boards 
of  Education. 

"  Touch  typewriting  can  be  more  easily  and  qirckly  acquired 
by  going  from  the  outside  keys  towards  the  center.     It  is  the 

10 


natural  method  of  learning  the  keyboard,  and  prevents  the 
beginner  from  being  inaccurate.  I  recommend  Mr.  Charles  E. 
Smith's  '  Practical  Course  in  Touch  Typewriting '  as  the  best 
typewriting  text-book  for  those  who  wish  to  become  rapid, 
accurate  touch  typists." — Margaret  B.  Owen,  World's  Champion 
Typist. 

"  We  have  used  your  '  Practical  Course  in  Touch  Type- 
writing' in  our  Shorthand  Department  for  several  years. 
*Ve  have  examined,  I  believe,  practically  every  text-book  on 
typewriting  so  far  published,  having  tried  out  several  of  them 
in  the  classroom,  but  each  test  makes  us  like  your  text  the 
better.  One  feature  of  '  Practical  Course  in  Touch  Type- 
writing '  which  especially  appeals  to  us  is  that  practically  the 
entire  keyboard  is  covered  in  the  first  five  budgets.  In  other 
words,  we  believe  that  with  this  system  the  very  best  results 
are  reached  in  the  shortest  possible  time,  which  is,  of  course, 
a  very  important  item  in  this  work.  We  unhesitatingly 
recommend  the  book." — /.  Kugler,  Jr.,  Principal,  Coleman 
National  Business  College,  Newark,  AT./.  (The  Rational 
system  was  previously  taught  in  this  College.) 

"  The  exercises  in  '  A  Practical  Course  in  Touch  Type- 
writing* are  carefully  graded,  and  so  arranged  that  one  makes 
rapid  progress,  and  overcomes  difficulties  almost  without  being 
conscious  of  them.  I  believe  the  methods  employed  produce 
the  very  best  results  that  can  be  desired.  In  my  own  case 
I  was  able  to  win  two  championships,  writing  in  competition 
over  roo  net  words  a  minute  in  less  than  twenty  months  from 
the  time  I  first  began  the  study  of  typewriting.  I  heartily 
recommend  '  A  Practical  Course  '  to  all  who  wish  to  thoroughly 
master  touch  typewriting,  and  are  looking  for  a  text-book 
which  gives  the  right  start." — Bessie  Friedman,  Winner  of 
two  Championships. 

"  I  have  spent  considerable  time  in  looking  over  your 
Practical  '  Course  in  Touch  Typewriting '  ;  in  fact,  I  have 
gone  over  every  page.  In  many  ways,  I  think  it  promises 
well,  and  I  will  call  the  attention  of  the  teachers  in  my  depart- 
ment to  it  at  our  next  teachers'  meeting.  It  seems  to  me  the 
plan  of  making  budgets  of  the  work  is  an  excellent  one.  I  have 
always  advocated  it,  because  I  think  anything  which  arouses 
in  the  mind  of  the  pupil  respect  for  and  pride  in  his  work 
is  an  advantage." — Thomas  H.  T.  Knight,  Girls'  High  School, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Isaac  Pitman's  Typewriter  Manual.  86c.  Fifth  Edition,  Revised 
and  Enlarged.  A  Practical  Guide  to  Commercial,  Literary,  Legal, 
Dramatic,  and  all  classes  of  Typewriting  work. 

Remington  Typewriter  Manual.  40c..;  cloth,  50c.  Seventh  Edition. 

Instructions  on  the  Remington  Standard  Typewriter.    32  pp.,  20< . 

Also    published    20c.    each    for    the    New    Century    Caligraph, 
Bar-Lock,  and  Yost. 

Typewriter  Backing  Sheet.  lOc.  Designed  to  protect  the  type,  the 
platen,  and  to  assist  in  giving  better  and  longer  service  to  the 
writing  machine  and  lessen  the  noise.  The  sheet  is  printed  with 
line  numerals  from  1  to  60,  which  indicates  the  nearing  of  the 
end  of  the  sheet. 

The  New  Universal  System  of  Touch  or  Sight  Typewriting.  By  I.  W. 
PATTON.  Third  Edition,  Revised  and  Enlarged.  60c. 

11 


COMMERCIAL      CORRESPONDENCE, 
BUSINESS  ENGLISH,  SPELLING,  Etc. 

Pitman's  Twentieth  Century  Business  Dictation  Book  and  Legal 
Forms.  272  pp.,  stiff  boards  and  cloth  back,  75c.  ;  cloth,  $1.00. 
(Eighth  Edition.)  Containing  an  up-to-date  collection  of  genuine 
letters  (in  ordinary  type)  which  have  been  used  in  the  transaction 
of  actual  work  in  large  American  business  houses,  classified  under 
50  distinct  lines  of  business,  each  set  of  letters  separate  ;  Legal 
Forms ;  and  a  judicious  selection  of  practice-matter  for  general 
dictation.  Also  chapters  on  Spelling,  Punctuation,  Capitaliza- 
tion, and  Short  Practical  Talks  with  the  Amanuensis,  etc.  This 
work,  which  is  the  most  complete  dictation  course  published,  is 
specially  compiled  for  the  teacher,  the  beginner,  and  the  advanced 
student.  All  progressive  Schools,  without  reference  to  the  system 
of  Shorthand  taught,  should  insist  upon  each  student  procuring 
a  copy.  Every  teacher  of  Shorthand  or  Typewriting  will  see  at 
a  glance  the  immense  value  of  this  work  as  a  means  by  which 
students  may  study  American  business  correspondence  as  it 
actually  is.  All  matter  counted  for  speed-testing. 

Also  published  in  two  parts,  as  follows: — 

Part  1.— Business  Dictation.  168  pp.,  stiff  boards  and  cloth  back, 
50c.  Containing  fifty  distinct  lines  of  business. 

Part  2.— Legal  Forms  and  Miscellaneous  Selections,  etc.    103  pp., 

stiff  boards  and  cloth  back,  40c. 

The  Student's  Practice  Book.  241  pp.,  cloth,  75c.  A  collection  of 
Letters  for  Acquiring  Speed  in  Writing  Shorthand.  The  Student's 
Practice  Book  is  designed  to  be  used  by  pupils  on  the  completion 
of  the  study  of  the  principles  of  stenography,  as  presented  in 
Course  in  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand  or  the  Shorthand  Instructor. 
It  is  not  intended  primarily  as  a  dictation  book  to  be  used  only 
by  the  instructor,  but  rather  as  a  book  from  which  definite 
lessons  can  be  assigned  by  a  teacher. 

Pitman's  Cumulative  Speller.  112  pp.,  cloth,  40c.  By  CHARLES  E. 
SMITH,  Author  of  A  Practical  Course  in  Touch  Typewriting. 
A  modern  and  practical  speller  for  Commercial  Education.  As 
the  title  indicates,  the  plan  is  cumulative.  Each  lesson  consists 
of  sixteen  words,  the  first  twelve  of  which  are  re-spelled  phonetic- 
ally and  defined.  The  syllabication,  pronunciation,  and  definition 
of  the  remaining  four  words  should  be  assigned  to  the  student, 
either  as  homework  or  seat-work.  A  homework  dictionary, 
containing  all  of  these  special  words,  is  included  in  the  speller 
at  the  end  of  the  first  hundred  regular  lessons.  This  feature  of 
the  work  is  intended  to  afford  the  student  a  ready  means  of 
acquiring  the  dictionary  habit — a  habit"so  essential  to  all  who 
take  pride  in  turning  out  accurate  work.  Nearly  all  of  the  words 
assigned  for  homework  are  later  on  repeated  in  the  regular  lessons, 
so  that  the  lessons  review  themselves  and  reduce  to  a  minimum 
ihe  necessity  of  having  special  review  lessons.  This  work  contains 
a  special  chapter  on  the  New  Spelling,  together  with  the  300 
words  recommended  by  the  Simplified  Spelling  Board,  and  is  the 
only  business  speller  published  containing  this  feature. 

12 


%•  A  special  edition  of  '  Cumulative  Speller  '•  is  also  issued  with 
a  Shorthand  Vocabulary  for  schools  teaching  the  Isaac  P.tman 
system.  Cloth,  gilt,  145  pp.,  50c.  Sample  pages  of  either  edition 
sent  on  request. 

"  The  '  Cumulative  Speller  '  appealed  to  me  so  strongly  when 
1  was  privileged  to  examine  the  proof  sheets,  that  it  was 
immediately  placed  on  our  list.  It  has  as  many  advantages 
as  the  old  time  speller  had  defects.  It  presents  a  unique  and 
scientific  method  in  dealing  with  what  has  already  been  a  most 
unsatisfactory  subject  to  the  shorthand  teacher.  It  gives  the 
student  an  extensive  shorthand  vocabulary  and  facility  in 
reading  his  Shorthand.  It  also  gives  him  a  satisfactory 
meaning  for  each  word,  and  it  saves  a  vast  amount  of  the 
teacher's  time."—  A.  M.  Kennedy,  Kennedy  Shorthand  School. 
Toronto,  Canada. 

Punctuation  as  a  Means  of  Expression.  Its  Theory  and  Practice. 
By  A.  E.  LOVELL,  M.A.  50c.  This  is  much  more  than  a  mere 
statement  of  rules.  The  author  has  written  an  interesting  and 
helpful  manual  of  the  subject,  that  will  greatly  impress  the 
intelligent  student  and  be  much  appreciated  by  all  who  value 
clearness  and  thoroughness  in  writing. 

Style  Book  of  Business  English.  238  pp.,  86c.  Sixth  Edition, 
Revised.  For  Stenographers  and  Correspondents.  This  new 
treatise  will  especially  appeal  to  the  teacher  of  English  wherever 
it  is  seen.  Teachers  of  this  subject  using  this  work  can  feel 
assured  of  vastly  better  results  than  they  have  ever  before 
secured.  The  new  edition  contains  a  special  chapter  on  Card- 
indexing,  Letter-filing,  and  the  Duties  of  a  Private  Secretary. 
Adopted  by  the  New  York  Board  of  Education. 

Pitman's  Commercial  Dictionary.  The  latest  and  best  pocket 
dictionary.  384  pp.  Cloth  back,  stiff  boards,  25c.  French 
rnorocco,  50c.  At  the  suggestion  of  a  number  of  teachers  who 
have  found  the  various  present-day  pocket  dictionaries  incom- 
plete and  inaccurate  for  commercial  and  public  school  work,  we 
have  prepared  this  work  which  contains  many  features  not 
found  in  books  of  this  character. 

Book  of  Homonyms.  By  B.  S.  BARRETT.  192  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  75c. 
The  work  was  written  from  a  practical  rather  than  from  a  theo- 
retical viewpoint,  and  all  the  exercises  have  been  given  repeated! y 
to  the  author's  classes  during  the  past  eight  or  ten  years.  It  is 
a  book  that  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  student  and  writer 
of  English,  of  every  amanuensis,  and  especially  of  every  writer 
of  phonography,  who  often  finds  the  similarity  of  conflicting 
outlines  so  perplexing  and  confusing.  The  object  of  this  book 
is  to  cover  a  field  not  heretofore  exploited  by  any  other  text- 
book. It  is  not  a  grammar  nor  a  spelling  book,  but  is  supple- 
mental to  both,  and  contains  information,  not  elsewhere  fur- 
nished, that  cannot  fail  to  be  serviceable  to  every  person  who 
uses  the  English  language. 


WORKS   ON  SHORTHAND,   COURT 
REPORTING,   CIVIL  SERVICE,  Etc. 

Life  of  Sir  Isaac  Pitman.  392  pp.  Cloth  gilt,  gilt  top,  $1.00. 
Contains  50  illustrations,  including  photogravure,  steel,  and 
many  other  full-page  plates,  consisting  of  portraits,  views,  and 
facsimiles.  Also  a  valuable  bibliography  of  shorthand.  The 
only  authentic  biography  of  the  Inventor  of  Phonography. 

History  of  Shorthand.  228  pp.,  75c. ;  cloth,  $1.00.  By  SIR  ISAAC 
PITMAN.  Third  Edition.  Containing  a  description  of  the  prin- 
cipal systems  of  shorthand  which  have  been  published  from  the 
time  of  Bright  in  1588,  together  with  a  short  account  of  the 
early  history  of  the  art,  and  prefaced  with  a  summary  of  Phono- 
graphy. The  book  also  contains  16  pages  of  alphabets  of  the 
principal  systems,  with  numerous  specimens  of  shorthand.  The 
largest  and  most  complete  history  of  shorthand  ever  published. 

Life  and  Work  of  Sir  Isaac  Pitman.    Illustrated.    40c. 
Pitman's  Popular  Guide  to  Journalism.    112  pp.,  cloth,  50c. 
Essentials  of  Phonography.    24  pp.,  20c. 
Pitman's  Shorthand  and  Typewriting  Year  Book  and  Diary.    40> . 

The  Bibliography  of  Shorthand.    256  pp.,  cloth,  $2.00.    By  Dr. 

WESTBY-GIBSON.  Comprising  a  list  of  all  known  printed  Works 
and  Manuscripts  on  Stenography  and  Phonography,  by  English, 
Colonial,  and  American  authors. 

Civil  Service  Examinations  for  Stenographers.  25c.  By  LEONHARD 
FELIX  FULD,  LL.M.,  Ph.D.,  Examiner,  Municipal  Civil  Service 
Commission,  New  York. 

t  The  Stenographic  Expert.  For  Isaac  Pitman  writers.  264  pp., 
cloth,  $2.25.  By  WILLARD  B.  BOTTOME,  Official  Court  Steno- 
grapher, New  York  Supreme  Court,  and  American  Champion 
of  1909  ;  and  WILLIAM  F.  SMART,  C.S.R.,  Holder  of  two  Gold 
Medals  and  Pitman's  Speed  Certificate  for  220  words  per  minute. 
This  is  the  most  up-to-date,  practical,  advanced  text-book  for 
Court  Stenographers  and  Experts  ever  issued.  Contains  96 
shorthand  plates  of  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand,  comprising  valu- 
able lists  of  Court  Phrases,  Short  Cuts,  and  Abbreviations,  etc. 
While  especially  adapted  to  Isaac  Pitman  stenographers,  this 
work  can  be  used  to  considerable  advantage  by  all  Pitmanic 
writers. 

Mr.  Nathan  Behrin,  an  Isaac  Pitman  writer,  and  Champion 
Shorthand  Writer  of  the  World,  and  holder  of  the  World's  Speed 
and  Accuracy  Record,  says  of  this  book — 

"  It  fills  the  long-felt  want  of  graduates  of  shorthand  schools 
who  are  ambitious  to  attain  to  the  higher  phases  of  reporting. 
The  lists  of  conflicting  and  difficult  words  should  prove  of 
great  value  to  those  who  will  thoroughly  master  them,  for 
they  will  thus  have  in  concrete  form  the  outlines  proven  to 
be  the  swiftest  and  best  by  many  years  of  experience.  I  am 

14 


particularly  pleased  with  the  articles  on  Court  Reporting  and 
the  shorthand  notes  of  an  actual  trial,  as  I  can  still  remember 
what  mysteries  these  matters  were  to  me  at  one  time,  and 
what  a  boon  they  would  have  proved.  The  Stenographic 
Expert  is  a  volume  that  will  grace  the  library  of  any 
stenographer." 

t  Civil  Service  Examinations.  144  pp.,  75c.  One  of  the  most 
important  branches  of  the  Civil  Service  is  that  covered  by  the 
general  title  of  clerical  force.  Of  this  department,  the  position 
of  stenographer  and  typewriter  usually  takes  precedence  and, 
with  one  or  two  exceptions,  is  the  most  remunerative. 

How  to  Become  a  Law  Stenographer.  168  pp.,  75c.  Cloth,  gilt, 
$1.00.  Revised  and  Enlarged  Edition.  For  Stenographers  and 
Typists.  A  Compendium  of  Legal  Forms,  containing  a  complete 
set  of  Legal  Documents  accompanied  with  full  explanations  and 
directions  for  arranging  the  same  on  the  typewriter.  This  work 
contains  valuable  suggestions  found  in  no  other  work,  and  will 
be  found  an  indispensable  companion  for  every  stenographer 
intending  to  take  a  position  in  a  law  office.  The  new  edition 
contains  a  very  complete  appendix  of  legal  words  and  phrases, 
with  the  accompanying  shorthand  outlines  and  type  Key. 


MISCELLANEOUS   WORKS. 

BANKING,  BOOK-KEEPING,  INSURANCE,  MEMORY,  etc. 

A  Complete  Guide  to  the  Improvement  of  the  Memory.  116  pp., 
cloth,  50c.  Or,  The  Science  of  Memory  Simplified.  By  Rev. 
J.  H.  BACON. 

A  Guide  to  English  Composition.  112  pp.,  40c. ;  cloth,  50c.  With 
Progressive  Exercises.  By  Rev.  J.  H.  BACON. 

Business  Handwriting.    40*. 

Primer  of  Book-keeping.  40c.  An  introductory  and  preparatory 
course. 

Answers  to  "Primer."    Cloth,  40c. 

Book-keeping  Simplified.    Cloth,  $1.00.    By  FRED  J.  NEV.    The 

author  of  this  work  has  had  considerable  experience  in  the 
teaching  of  this  subject,  and  his  chief  aim  has  been  to  make  the 
text  as  practical  and  up  to  date  as  possible  from  an  American 
standpoint. 

"  A  complete  yet  concise  book  on  the  subject." — School,  N.  Y. 

Key  to  "Book-keeping  Simplified."    Cloth,  gilt,  $1.00. 
Pitman's  Advanced  Book-keeping.    187  pp.,  cloth,  $1.00. 
Answers  to  Advanced  Book-keeping.    Cloth,  40c. 
Pitman's  Complete  Book-keeping.    372  PP.,  cloth   $1.50. 
Answers  to  Complete  Book-keeping.    Cloth,  85c. 
15 


How  to  Teach  Book-keeping.    200  pp.,  cloth,  $1.00. 

Dictionary  of  Book-keeping.     By  R.  J.  PORTERS.    777  pp.,  cloth. 

O'ilt,  $2.50. 
Pitman's  Business  Man's  Guide.    500  pp.,  cloth,  $1.25. 

Where  to  Look.  128  pp.,  cloth,  85c.  A  complete  guide  to  all  the 
leading  books  of  reference. 

The  Card  Index  System.  Its  Principles,  Uses,  Operations,  and 
Component  Parts.  By  R.  B.  BYLES.  Cloth,  108  pp.,  with  30 
illustrations.  50c. 

Filing  Systems.  192  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $1.00.  By  E.  A.  COPE.  This 
work  supplies  some  trustworthy  information  as  to  the  chief 
characteristics  of  modern  .methods  of  filing,  and  explains  the 
kind  of  assistance  that  they  are  capable  of  rendering  to  their 
users,  and  to  show  how  they  may  be  applied  for  various  purposes. 

Systematic   Indexing.       By   J.    KAISER.       Cloth,    gilt,    with    32 

illustrations  and  12  colored  plates.     $4.50. 
Pitman's  Economic  History  of  England.    400  pp.,  with  diagrams. 

Cloth,  gilt,  $2.00.    By  H.  O.  MEREDITH,  M.A. 

Pitman's  Commercial  Geography  of  the  World.  268  pp.,  colored 
plates  and  maps.  Cloth,  gilt,  85c. 

Business  Terms  and  Phrases.  164  pp.,  cloth,  85c.  Containing 
explanations  of  terms,  phrases,  aad  abbreviations,  in  English, 
with  French,  German,  and  Spanish  equivalents. 

Pitman's  Paper  Flower  Making.  Cloth,  60c.  Colored  plates  and 
150  illustrations. 

The  World  and  Its  Commerce.   130  pp.,  and  35  maps.    Cloth,  50o. 

Dictionary  of  the  World's  Commercial  Products.  163  pp.,  $1.00. 
Second  Edition,  Revised.  With  equivalents  in  French,  German, 
and  Spanish. 

Clay  Modelling  for  Infants.  128  pp.,  cloth,  75c.  By  F.  H.  BROWN, 
A.R.C.A.  With  80  most  practical  and  suggestive  illustrations. 
This  book  is  intended  as  a  guide  for  those  teachers  who  have 
had  little  or  no  opportunity  of  acquiring  even  the  slightest 
knowledge  of  the  subject  and  to  open  up  a  field  for  those  whose 
attainments  are  such  as  will  enable  them  to  develop  the  subject 
on  their  own  individual  lines. 

Cane  Weaving  for  Children.  32  pp.,  20c.  An  educational  method 
of  hand  training.  By  LUCY  R.  LATTER. 

Encyclopaedia  of  Marine  Law.  300  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $2.00.  By 
LAWRENCE  DUCKWORTH. 

Insurance.  340  pp.,  cloth,  $2.50.  A  Practical  Exposition  for  the 
Student  and  Business  Man.  By  T.  E.  YOUNG,  B.A.,  F.R.A.S., 
Ex- President  of  the  Institute  of  Actuaries,  and  Member  of  the 
Actuarial  Society  of  America.  A  thoroughly  practical  Treatise 
for  all  engaged  in  Insurance  work.  Treats  fully  of  Life,  Fire, 
and  Marine  Insurance.  A  work  of  living  interest,  and  will  prove 
of  the  utmost  practical  value.  Adopted  by  Yale  University. 

Insurance  Office  Organisation,  Management,  and  Accounts.  150  pp., 
cloth,  $1.50.  A  Companion  Volume  to  Insurance.  By  T.  E. 
YOUNG,  B.A.,  F.R.A.S.,  and  RICHARD  MASTERS. 

"  It  covers  primarily  the  numerous  points  arising  in  office 
organization — books  of  accounts,  the  arrangement  of  work, 

16 


the  staff  and  its  selection,  salaries,  promotion,  the  training  of 
clerks,  dismissals,  retirement  and  superannuation — together 
with  many  important  suggestions  as  to  matters  growing  out 
of  the  conduct  of  the  business  at  the  head  office.  This  work 
is  an  extremely  practical  one,  and  there  can  hardly  be  an 
insurance  office  in  the  country  which  would  not  find  useful 
and  valuable  suggestions  therein,  which,  if  adopted  or  adapted, 
would  improve  the  records  or  minimise  the  office  work  or  both. 
It  is  of  particular  value  to  those  contemplating  the  establish- 
ment of  new  insurance  companies." — The  Spectator,  New  York. 

Pitman's  Secretary's  Handbook.  160  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $1.50.  By 
HERBERT  E.  BLAIN. 

"  I  have  examined  carefully  your  '  Secretary's  Handbook  ' 
by  Herbert  E.  Blain,  and  can  say  that  I  could  consistently 
recommend  it  as  an  invaluable  aid  to  anyone  who  holds  or 
hopes  to  hold  a  position  as  secretary  to  a  man  in  public,  pro- 
fessional or  business  life,  or  in  corporation  work.  In  fact,  it 
would  be  of  interest  to  anyone  who  holds  or  hopes  to  hold  any 
position  of  trust  or  responsibility." — Byron  H.  Milner,  Wharton 
School  of  Finance  and  Commerce,  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
Pa. 

Pitman's  Business  Methods  and  Secretarial  Work  for  Girls  and 
Women.  By  H.  REYNARD.  89  pp.,  cloth,  60c. 

Dictionary  of  Banking.  550  pp.,  half  leather,  gilt,  $6.50.  A  Com- 
plete Encyclopaedia  of  the  English  Banking  Law  and  Practice. 
By  W.  THOMSON. 

Practical  Banking.  Including  Currency.  A  Guide  to  Modern 
(English)  Banking  Practice  and  the  Principles  of  Currency. 
By  J.  F.  G.  BAGSHAW  and  C.  F.  HANNAFORD.  320  pp.,  cloth, 
gilt,  $2.00.  This  work  is  specially  addressed  to  students  of 
banking,  and  to  those  who  are  engaged  in  commercial  work  in 
which  a  knowledge  of  banking  is  necessary.  It  will  also  be  of 
service  to  bank  officials,  especially  those  in  the  early  years  of 
their  careers. 

Accountancy.  311  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $2.00.  By  FRANCIS  W.  PIXLEY. 
An  entirely  new  work  dealing  with  Accountancy,  Constructive 
and  Recording,  from  a  theoretical  and  a  practical  point  of  view. 

Auditing,  Accounting,  and  Banking.  319  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $2.00. 
By  FRANK  DOWLER  and  E.  MARDINOR  HARRIS. 

How  to  Become  a  Qualified  Accountant.  120  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $1.00. 

Money,  Exchange,  and  Banking.  312  pp..  cloth,  gilt,  $2.00.  By 
H.  T.  EASTON,  Associate  of  the  Institute  of  Bankers.  Treats  of  the 
above  subjects  in  their  practical,  theoretical,  and  legal  aspects. 

Office  Organisation  and  Management.  315  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $2.00. 
By  LAWRENCE  R.  DICKSEE,  M.Com.,  F.C.A.,  and  H.  E.  BLAIN. 

Stockbroker's  Office  Organisation,  Management,  and  Accounts. 
By  JULIUS  E,  DAY.  231  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $3.00. 

Gold  Mine  Accounts  and  Costing.  93  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $2.00.  By 
G.  W.  TAIT. 

"  The  author  of  this  book  has  had  many  years'  practical 
experience  in  account  keeping  on  the  mines  in  South  Africa, 
and  the  method  he  sets  out  will  be  found  of  considerable  use 
to  those  keeping  accounts  of  mines  of  all  classes  and  in  all 
parts  of  the  world." — Capitalist. 

17 


Pitman's  Guide  for  the  Company  Secretary.  344  pp.,  cloth,  gilt, 
$2.00.  A  practical  manual  and  work  of  reference  with  regard 
to  the  duties  of  a  Secretary  to  a  Joint  Stock  Company.  By 
ARTHUR  COLES,  A.C.I.S. 

The  Social  Workers'  Guide.  By  the  Rev.  J.  B.  HALDANE.  483  pp., 
cloth,  gilt,  $1.35. 


WORKS,  ETC.,    FOR   TEACHERS. 

All  Teachers  of  Isaac  Pitman's  Phonography  are  requested  to  send 
their  address  for  registration  to    Isaac  Pitman    &  Sons. 

t  Methods  of  Teaching  Shorthand.  160  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $1.00. 
A  Practical  Solution  of  Classroom  Problems.  This  book  should 
be  in  the  hands  of  every  progressive  teacher  of  shorthand,  with- 
out reference  to  the  system  taught.  It  contains  a  description 
of  successful  methods  of  teaching  the  subject  based  upon  sound 
pedagogical  principles.  It  is  the  first  book  of  its  kind  on  the 
market,  and  it  will  serve  as  a  guide  to  the  prospective  teacher 
of  shorthand  and  lead  the  experienced  teacher  to  analyze  his 
methods  in  the  light  of  the  principles  of  teaching  enunciated. 
It  offers  teaching  suggestions  at  every  stage  of  the  work,  from 
the  organization  of  the  class  at  the  first  session  to  the  completion 
of  the  course. 

Notes  on  Lessons  on  Pitman's  Shorthand.  112  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  75c. 
Consists  of  about  50  lessons,  w.th  each  of  the  principles  from 
the  Alphabet  to  the  Distinguishing  Outlines  carefully  set  out 
with  valuable  hints  and  many  useful  examples. 

Preparation  for  a   Shorthand   Teacher's  Examination.     By   W. 

WHEATCROFT.  Limp  cloth,  60c.  This  is  a  valuable  series  of 
articles  which  has  attracted  much  attention  in  its  serial  form  in 
Pitman's  Magazine  of  Business.  Most  useful  and  reliable 
advice  is  given  for  candidates  entering  for  a  Teacher's  Diploma. 

Pitman's  Examination  Notes  on  Shorthand.  48  pp.,  cloth,  50c. 
In  this  work  the  reasons  for  various  features  in  the  system  are 
discussed,  and  the  clear-cut  conciseness  of  the  standard  text- 
book rules  is,  in  some  instances,  amplified.  Shorthand  examples 
of  the  application  of  the  rules  are  freely  introduced. 

Handbook  for  Shorthand  Teachers.  Cloth,  60c.  Containing 
Instruction  to  Teachers,  Lessons  on  the  Text-books,  etc. 
Teachers  will  find  in  this  work  a  description  of  the  best  methods 
of  successful  shorthand  teaching. 

A  Stereopticon  Lecture  on  Shorthand.  32  pp.,  25c.  A  brief  history 
of  writing  from  its  invention  to  the  present  time,  with  special 
reference  to  Shorthand. 

The  Pitmanic  Guide.  24  pp.,  20c.  Containing  a  veritable  mine  of 
information  about  the  system  both  for  student  and  teachers, 
especially  those  who  have  previously  studied  other  Pitmanic 
methods. 

Chart  of  the  Phonetic  Alphabet.  22  x  35  in.  10c.  Same  mounted 
on  canvas  rollers  and  varnished,  75c.  Containing  the  Shorthand 
and  Printing  Letters. 

18 


Charts  on  Pitman's  Shorthand.  35  x^22  in.  $2.50;  on  canvas, 
$4.00.  Ready  for  hanging  on  wall.  A  series  of  14  large  Charts 
illustrating  the  principles  of  Phonography  as  developed  in  the 
text-books. 

Som6  Points.  Twelve  pages  and  four  cover  pages  printed  in  red 
and  green.  Price,  50c.  per  100 ;  $2.00  for  500,  post  paid. 
Teachers  and  schools  will  find  this  one  of  the  most  attractive 
pamphlets  ever  published  in  connection  with  the  Isaac  Pitman 
system.  Sample  copy  free. 

The  Earning  Power  of  Shorthand,  being  a  Persuasive  to  the  Study 
and  Practice  of  Phonography.  16  pp.,  40c.  per  100.  $3.00  per 

1,000  net,  past  paid.  In  attractive  tinted  cover,  and  space  being 
reserved  for  Teachers'  terms.  By  a  judicious  distribution  of 
this  pamphlet,  pupils  can  be  secured,  and  publications  sold. 

A  Smaller  Edition  of  above  Persuasive,  consisting  of  8  pp.,  giving 
Alphabet,  etc.  Sample  free.  Price,  POST  PAID,  100  copies,  20c.  ; 
500  copies,  90c. 

"Which  System  of  Shorthand  Should  we  Learn?  "  32  pp.,  in 
attractive  cover.  Sample  copy  free.  10  copies,  20c.  ;  50  copies, 
65c.  ;  100  copies,  $1.20,  POST  PAID. 

What  They  Say.  An  attractive  booklet  of  58  pp.,  and  cover  giving 
the  opinions  of  well-known  educators  and  teachers  of  the  relative 
merits  of  Pitmanic  and  Light-line  systems.  Teachers'  NET  PRICE, 
POST  PAID,  25  copies,  25c.  ;  100  copies,  75c.  ;  500  copies,  $3.50. 

The  Commercial  Value  of  Shorthand.  24  pp.,  in  tinted  cover.  Text 
in  2  colors  and  marginal  captions.  Sample  copy  free.  25  copies, 
25c.  ;  100  copies,  75c.,  POST  PAID. 

Shorthand  in  the  Executive  Department  at  Washington.  6  pp., 
and  space  for  school  imprint,  2  colors.  Sample  free.  Price, 
POST  PAID,  100  copies,  15c.  ;  500  copies,  65c. 

Court  Reporters'  Testimony  to  the  Superiority  of  the  Isaac  Pitman 
Shorthand.  12  pp.,  and  space  for  imprint  on  first  page  of  cover. 
Teachers'  NET  PRICE,  POST  PAID,  25  copies,  15c.  ;  100  copies,  40c.  •, 
250  copies,  85c. 

Twelve  Reasons  for  Learning  Isaac  Pitman's  Shorthand.  Four 
pages,  printed  in  2  colors,  and  space  for  imprint.  Teachers' 
NET  PRICE,  POST  PAID,  100  copies,  12c.  ;  500  copies,  50c. 

The  New  vs.  The  Old,  or,  The  Isaac  Pitman  Phonography  vs.  Benn 
Pitman,  Graham,  and  others.  Eight  pages.  Teachers'  NET  PRISE, 
POST  PAID,  25  copies,  15c.  ;  100  copies,  40c.  ;  250  copies,  85c. 

The  Passing  of  Light-Line  Shorthand.  16  pp.  100  copies,  40c.  ; 
500  copies,  $1.75. 

A  Higher  Efficiency  in  Shorthand.  24  pp.  100  copies,  50c. ;  500 
copies,  $2.25. 

19 


Shorthand  in  High  Schools.  24  pp.  100  copies,  50c. ;  500  copies. 
$2,52. 

Stenography  as  a  Stepping-Stone  to  Fortune.  12  pp.  100  copies, 
40c.  ;  500  copies,  $1.75. 

The  Ladder  to  Fame.  8  pp.   100  copies,  30c. ;  500  copies,  $1.35. 

The  Shorthand  Route  to  Fame.  12  pp.  100  copies,  40c. ;  500  copies, 
$1.75. 

Report  of  a  Special  Committee  Appointed  by  the  New  York  Board 
of  Education  in  Regard  to  the  Teaching  of  Isaac  Pitman  Shorthand 
in  High  Schools.  8  pp.  100  copies,  40c.  ;  500  copies,  $1.75. 


PERIODICALS. 

Pitman's  Journal.  Terms  of  Subscription  :  Per  Year  in  Advance, 
50c.  Special  Club  rates  on  application.  Sample  copy  free.  An 
American  Magazine  for  Isaac  Pitman  Teachers  and  Writers. 
Issued  monthly,  except  July  and  August.  Each  number  of 
PITMAN'S  JOURNAL  contains  24  pages  (size  7£  X  9J)  and  includes 
eight  columns  of  beautifully  engraved  Phonography,  furnishing 
invaluable  means  for  study  and  practice  to  students  of  the  art. 
Current  topics  of  interest  appear  in  every  issue  by  contributors 
of  reputation  and  experience,  making  the  JOURNAL  of  the  highest 
asefulness  to  both  the  beginner  and  experienced  teacher. 
Facsimile  notes  and  Prize  Competitions  are  special  features. 

t  Bound  volumes  of  PITMAN'S  JOURNAL:  Vol.  I  and  II,  $3.00 
each  ;  Vol.  Ill  to  date,  $1.25. 

OTHER  SHORTHAND   PERIODICALS. 

ISAAC  PITMAN  &  SONS,  2  WEST  45™  STREET,  NEW  YORK, 
are  agents  and  accept  subscriptions  for  the  following  English 
publications — 

Pitman's  (English)  Journal.  Founded  by  Sir  Isaac  Pitman  in  1842. 
The  oldest  and  only  weekly  periodical  (in  any  system)  in  exist- 
ence devoted  to  SHORTHAND,  TYPEWRITING,  and  kindred  subjects. 
Each  number  consists  of  36  pp.,  and  comprises  12  COLUMNS  OF 
PRINTED  SHORTHAND.  Terms  of  Subscription,  Payable  in 
Advance — 

12  months,  52  weekly  issues       .        .      $1.75 
6         „       26        „  .       .       1.00 

t  Bound  volumes  of  the  JOURNAL  from  1842  to  1875  are  out  of 
print.  Volumes  from  1876  to  1890,  $2.50  each,  post  free. 
Volumes  from  1891  to  present  date,  $2.00  each,  post  free. 
Handsome  covers  for  binding  the  present  or  past  yearly  volumes, 
t  40c.  each. 

Pitman's  Shorthand  Weekly.  16  pp.  BEAUTIFULLY  PRINTED 
in  the  Reporting,  Corresponding,  and  Learner's  Styles,  and 

20 


profusely  illustrated.  The  contents  consist  of  stories  and  tales, 
serial  and  complete  ;  interesting  extracts  ;  amusing  paragraphs  ; 
phonographic  jokes  and  anecdotes.  Terms  of  subscription  same 
as  PITMAN'S  (ENGLISH)  JOURNAL. 

t  Bound  volumes  (half-yearly)  of  PITMAN'S  SHORTHAND 
WEEKLY  as  follows  :  Vols.  1  to  10  out  of  print  ;  Vol.  11  to  thr 
present  date,  $1.50  each. 

Pitman's  Shorthand  Budget.  The  monthly  edition  of  P.S.W. 
Each  issue  contains  32  to  40  pages  of  Engraved  Phonography, 
and  fully  illustrated.  Twelve  months,  $1.75  ;  six  months,  $1.00. 
Sample,  15c. 

Reporters'  Journal.  Sample  copy,  10c.  Yearly  subscription, 
post  paid,  $1.25.  Edited  by  J.  H.  FORD. 

Reporters'  Magazine.  Sample  copy,  lOc.  Yearly  subscription, 
post  paid,  $1.25.  Founded  by  E.  J.  NANKIVELL. 

The  Phonographic  Monthly.  Sample  copy,  lOc.  Yearly  subscription, 

75c. 

The  Shorthand  Gazette.  Sample  copy,  lOc.  Yearly  subscription, 
$1.00. 

The  Phonographic  Observer.  Sample  copy,  lOc.  Yearly  subscription, 
post  pa'd,  $1.00. 


PHONOGRAPHIC    STATIONERY 
AND    SUPPLIES. 

Reporters'  Note-Book.  "  Fono"  Series.  For  pen  or  pencil.  Isaac 
Pitman  &  Sons'  "  Fono  "  Series.  Specially  made — ELASTIC 
BOUND  (no  stitching),  opening  PERFECTLY  FLAT.  The  paper 
contained  in  these  note-books  is  expressly  manufactured,  and  is 
of  a  very  superior  quality.  The  peculiar  fibre  of  same  permitting 
of  a  high  rate  of  speed  in  shorthand  writing.  The  old  style  note- 
book, on  account  of  its  cheap  stiff  binding,  has  a  constant  tendency 
to  close,  and  when  forced  open  will  not  lie  flat.  In  the  Isaac 
Pitman  "  Fono  "  Series  this  difficulty  is  entirely  obviated,  and 
when  the  page  is  turned  will  lie  absolutely  flat.  This  feature  will 
be  thoroughly  appreciated  in  rapid  work.  Ruled  in  red  unless 
otherwise  stated.  Sample  pages  of  the  different  rulings  sent  on 
request. 

"  I  have  become  so  used  to  your  No.  5  Note-Book,  that  I 
can  use  no  other.  .  .  .  My  colleague  (Mr.  Beard)  in  this 
Court  says  that  your  books  are  the  best  he  has  ever  used  in 
twenty  years'  experience." — Peter  P.  McLoughlin,  Court  of 
General  Sessions,  New  York  City. 

END  OPENING. 

No.  5 — "  Fono  "  Series,  200  pp.,  5  X  8  in.  .     20r. 

„    5 —        „  „  ,,  ,,        marginal  line          .    20c. 

21 


No.  5 — "  Fono  "Sei'rs,  200  pp.,  5x8  in.  marginal  line   and 

pages        numbered 
1  to  200  .       .       .    25c. 
,,    5 — •        ..  ,,  ,,  ,,       marginal    line    and 

stiff  board  covers  .    25c. 

5\ —      ,,  ,,  ,,  ,,        narrow  ruling       .     20c. 

,,    SB —      ,,  „  ,,  ,,        marginal,  and  two 

addit:ona'        faint 
blue  lines       .       .    20c. 

,,    5n —      „  ,,     with  pages,  numbered  1  to  200   .        .     25c. 

,,    5c —      ,,  ,,      200  pp.,  5|  X  8J  in.,  six  vertical  lines    25c. 

,,    5c —      ,,  ,,      with  pages  numbered  1  to  200     .        .    30c. 

„    5n      „        —      ,,      (pencil  paper)  200  pp.,  5x8  in.       .    20c. 
,,    S>F —      ,,  ,,      200  pp.,  5  X  8  in.    One  centre  line    .    20c. 

,,    7 —        ,,  ,,      200pp., 4J  X  81 in.,  three  vertical  lines, 

stiff  board  covers          ....    20c. 

,,    7 —       ,,  ,,      with  pages  numbered  1  to  200  .       .    25c. 

„    8—       „  „      100    pp.,    4J  X  8i    in.,    stiff    board 

covers,     with      pages      numbered. 
Used    by    the    U.S.    Congressional 

Reporters 25c. 

„    8 —        ,,  ,,      wUh  marginal  line  and  pages  numbered    25c. 

„    9—        „  „      200  pp.,  4|  x  8J  in.  (stitched),  stiff 

board    covers,    marginal    line    and 

pages  numbered 25c. 

,,20 —        „             ,,      200  pp.,  5|  X  8}  in.,  stiff  board  covers, 
with   blue   narrow  ruling   and   red 
marginal  line 30c. 

SIDE  OPENING. 

No.  6 — "  Fono  "  Series,  240  pp.,  4|  X  7  in.,  unruled        .        .    20c. 
,,    BA —      ,,  ,,      160  pp.,   5J  X  8i   in.,   eight  vertical 

lines 25c. 

„    6B —      „  ,,      160pp.,  5i  X  8i  in.,  line  down  centre   25c. 

„    8c—     „  „     160    „        „      „      „      „      „ 

Pencil  paper 25c. 

„    6s —      ,,  ,,      200  pp.,  5J  X  8|  in.,  six  vertical  lines 

(for  Convention  work)        .        .        .    25c. 

„    8F—      „  ,,      200  pp.,  5J  x  8i  in.,  four  vertical  lines   25c. 

A  liberal  reduction  by  the  dozen  copies.  Note-Books  should 
be  ordered  in  quantities  to  warrant  sending  by  express  and  thus 
saving  extravagant  postage  required  on  this  class  of  matter. 


LOOSE  REPORTING   SHEETS. 

No.  5 — "Fono"  Series  Reporting  Paper.  Size  8J  x  11J  in. 
Ruled  with  four  vertical  lines  dividing  the  sheet  in  equal  parts, 
In  packages  of  1,000  sheets,  numbered  from  1  to  1,000.  Price. 
S3.20  net. 

22 


No.  6 — "Fonq"  Series  Reporting  Paper.  S'zo  8$  x  111  '"• 
Six  vertical  lines  divided  into  double  columns  and  punched  holes 
for  filing.  In  packages  of  1,000  sheets,  numbered  from  1  to  1,000. 
Price,  $3.30  net. 

Student's  Note-Books.     Made  of  superior  qua  ity  paper. 

No.    1—100  pages,  4    X   6£  in.,  red  lines                              .  5c. 

,,     2 — 180  pages,  4    X   62  in.,  red  lines  8c. 

„     3—200  pages,  4J  X  7i  in.,  red  lines         ....  lOc. 

,,    19 — 140  pages  4J  X  9     in.,  red  lines  and  marginal  line  20c. 

%*  Nos.  1,  2,  and  3  contain  a  complete  list  of  Reporting  Gramma- 
logues  and  Contractions,  alphabetically  arranged,  printed  inside 
the  covers. 

Lead  Pencils.  Isaac  Pitman  &  Sons'  Reporting  Pencils  will  in 
future  be  stamped  and  known  as  Pitman's  .  ono  "  Pencils,  but 
the  quality  will  remain  the  same — it  canno'.  be  improved.  For 
smoothness,  durability,  and  uniformity  of  prade  (which  is  at 
once  detected  by  a  sensitive  hand),  and  for  easy  cutting,  these 
pencils  have  stood  unequalled  for  upwards  of  a  quarter  of  a 
century.  Once  used,  always  used  :  ensuring  satisfaction  with  the 
pencils  and  with  the  writer.  Made  in  two  qualities :  No.  1 


$5  ;   per  gross,  $9.   Sample  of  six,  post-paid,  50c.  ;   three,  30c. 

Note-Book  Covers.  20c.,  post-paid  25c.  Neat  black  cloth  covers, 
for  holding  either  Nos.  1,  2,  or  3,  and  forming  a  knee  rest.  For 
"  Fono  "  Series  No.  5,  price  30c.,  post-paid  35c. 

Reporting  Paper.  Per  Quire,  10c.  ;  post-free,  12c.  Five  Quires, 
40c.  ;  post-free,  50o. 

Reporting  Covers.   Cloth,  20c.  ;  leather,  60c.  ;   morocco,  $1.00. 

Evercirculator  Covers.  Cloth,  30c. ;  leather,  40c.  To  hold 
Evercirculator  Paper. 

'*  Fono  "  Writing  Paper.  Packet  of  60  sheets,  30c.  ;  post-paid,  35c. 
Five  quires,  50c.  ;  post-paid,  60c. 

"Fono"  Letter  or  Evercirculator  Paper,  ornamental  border. 
Packet  of  60  sheets,  30c.  ;  post-paid,  35c.  Five  quires,  50c. 
post-paid,  60c. 

Note-Book  Cover  and  Transcribing  Slope.  Size  9  in.  x  5  in.  Price, 
with  140-page  Note-Book,  red  ruling,  marginal  line,  80c.  ;  post- 
free,  90c.  Without  Note-Book,  70c.  ;  post-free,  75c. 

Fountain  Pens.  No.  12,  $2.50;  No.  14,  $4.  The  Waterman 
"  Ideal  "  is  the  most  perfect  fountain  pen  made,  and  is 
unequalled  for  shorthand  and  longhand  writing. 

"Fono"  Pencil  Case.  50c.  Price,  with  s:x  of  our  celebrated 
Reporting  Pencils,  75c.  Made  of  roan,  leather  lined. 

"  Fono  "  Pencil  Sharpener.    35c. 

Reporters'  Rest  or  Desk  for  the  Knee.  60c.  Folds  up  for  tha 
pocket. 

23 


The  Phonographic  Pin.  25c.  Made  in  gold  plate,  with  the  mono- 
gram I. P.,  covering  a  background  in  the  shape  of  a  conven- 
tional flower  formed  by  the  elements,  or  curved  consonants  and 
straight  strokes  of  the  Isaac  Pitman  shorthand.  The  colors  are 
blue  and  white,  and  the  letters  and  outlines  are  in  gold,  which 
makes  a  very  attractive  combination.  This  pin  will  be  sent  free 
with  a  two-year  subscription  to  PITMAN'S  JOURNAL.  Every  Isaac 
Pitman  writer  should  have  one  of  these  pins. 


PHOTOGRAPHS. 

Memorial  Portrait  of  Sir  Isaac  Pitman.  60c.  A  high-class  repro- 
duction of  the  Memorial  Portrait  accepted  by  the  National 
Portrait  Gallery  of  London.  Size,  mounted  on  stiff  cardboard, 
17}  X  23}  in.  All  copies  sent  by  mail  in  a  strong  cardboard  tube. 


PITMAN'S    PRACTICAL    PRIMERS 
OF  BUSINESS. 

Advertising,  or,  The  Art  of  Making  Known.  95  pp.,  cloth,  50c 
By  HOWARD  BRIDGEWATER.  This  is  an  interesting  practical 
exposition,  with  full  illustrations,  of  the  principles  of  Modern 
Advertising  by  a  recognized  authority.  The  various  forms  of 
Advertising  are  fully  described,  useful  hints  are  given  on  the 
Psychology  of  Advertising,  How  to  Deal  with  Space,  Illustra- 
tions, Typography,  Optical  Illusions,  Picture  Reproduction, 
Advertising  Ideas,  Poster  Work,  Insurance,  and  Financial  Adver- 
tising ;  and,  finally,  the  Position  of  the  Advertising  Agent  in  the 
Commercial  World  is  discussed. 

"  A  work  of  great  interest  and  profit  to  American  advertisers." 
— The  Bankers'  Magazine,  New  York. 

Handbook  of  Advertising.  183  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $1.00.  By 
CHRISTOPHER  JONES.  A  manual  for  those  who  wish  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  Principles  and  Practice  of  Advertising. 

The  Elements  of  Insurance.  133  pp.,  cloth,  50c.  By  J.  E.  EKE. 
This  book  will  appeal  to  a  larger  class  than  those  who  are  con- 
nected only  with  commerce.  A  mastery  of  its  contents  will  go 
far  to  dispel  the  extraordinary  amount  of  ignorance  concerning 
insurance  methods  ;  and,  whether  the  reader's  interest  is  chiefly 
to  do  with  fire,  life,  accident,  etc.,  these  pages  will  well  repay 
perusal. 

The  Elements  of  Banking.    132  pp.,  cloth,  50c.    By  J.  P.  GANDV. 

Designed  to  supply  the  "  man  in  the  street  "  with  a  knowledge 
of  first  principles.  It  is  a  practical  commentary  on  law  and 
practice  of  banking,  and  embraces  everything  necessary  to  an 
ordinary  business  man  on  the  subject  of  bills  of  exchange, 
promissory  notes,  and  so  forth. 

24 


Guide  to  Indexing  and  Precis  Writing.  110  pp.,  cloth,  50c.  By 
WILLIAM  JAYNE  WESTON,  M.A.  The  author  of  Pitman's  Guide 
to  Commercial  Correspondence  has  arranged  this  book  on  quite 
original  lines.  Precise  instructions  and  practical  examples 
render  it  of  real  value  to  candidates  for  public  examinations. 


PITMAN'S   COMMON   COMMODITIES 
OF   COMMERCE. 

Each  book  in  crown  8vo,  cloth,  with  colored  frontispiece  and  many 
illustrations,  maps,  charts,  etc.  Price  75c.  This  series  is  pub- 
lished with  the  object  of  enabling  the  business  man  or  trader, 
thoroughly  to  equip  himself  for  the  efficient  performance  of 
his  specific  work  and  to  enlighten  the  general  reader's  mind 
regarding  some  of  our  commonest  commodities  of  commerce. 
In  each  handbook  a  particular  produce  is  treated  by  an  expert 
writer  and  practical  man  of  business.  Beginning  with  the  life 
history  of  the  plant,  or  other  natural  product,  he  follows  its 
development  until  it  becomes  a  commercial  commodity,  and  so 
on  through  the  various  phases  of  its  sale  in  the  market  and  its 
purchase  by  the  consumer. 

Tea.  From  Grower  to  Consumer.  By  A.  IBBETSON.  The  author 
is  well  known  in  the  Tea  world  through  his  connection  with 
the  important  house  of  Messrs.  Joseph  Travers  &  Sons.  Mr. 
Ibbetson's  pages  give  much  help  and  information  regarding  the 
conditions  of  the  Tea  trade,  the  world's  consumption  of  the 
product,  and  the  fluctuation  in  price ;  the  crops  of  particulars 
years  ;  the  mystery  of  the  art  of  blending ;  and  so  forth. 

Coffee.  From  Grower  to  Consumer.  By  B.  B.  KEABLE.  Mr.  Keable, 
like  Mr.  Ibbetson,  is  in  the  well-known  house  of  Messrs.  Joseph 
Travers  &  Sons,  and  can  substantiate  his  claim  to  be  an 
authority  on  Coffee.  His  book  will  be  found,  as  in  the  case  of 
that  of  Tea,  to  trace  the  progress  of  this  commodity  throughout. 

Cotton.  From  the  Raw  Material  to  the  Finished  Product.   By  R.  J. 

PEAKE.  The  author  has  had  the  supreme  advantage  of  being 
in  close  touch  with  Mr.  C.  W.  Macara,  Chairman  of  the  Committee 
of  International  Federation  of  Master  Cotton  Spinners  and 
Manufacturers,  who  has  contributed  advice  and  read  the  proofs 
of  the  book  as  it  passed  through  the  Press.  This  little  handbook 
will  be  found  to  contain  just  the  kind  of  information  that  is 
required  on  the  greatest  of  our  national  industries. 

Sugar  (Cane  and  Beet).    By  GEORGE  MARTINEAU,  C.B. 

Linen.  From  the  Raw  Material  to  the  Finished  Product.  130  pp., 
cloth.  By  ALFRED  S.  MOORE.  It  is  somewhat  singular  that, 
although  Linen  Manufacture  is  a  most  important  industry,  there 
has  not  been  hitherto  a  good  popular  non-technical  work  describ- 
ing its  history,  the  various  steps  of  manufacture,  wages,  condi- 
tions of  labor,  marketing,  finance,  etc.  This  want  has  now  been 
supplied  by  the  latest  addition  to  the  popular  and  attractive 
scries  of  COMMON  COMMODITIES  OF  COMMERCE. 

25 


Oil  (Mineral,  Essential,  and  Fatty).    By  C.  A.  MITCHELL 

Rubber.  Production  and  Utilization  of  the  Raw  Product.  120  pp., 
cloth.  By  H.  P.  STEVENS  and  CLAYTON  BEADLE. 

Iron  and  Steel.    120  pp.,  cloth.     By  C.  HOOD. 

Silk.  Its  Production  and  Manufacture.  120  pp.,  cloth.  By 
LUTHER  HOOPER. 

Wool.    From  the  Raw  Material  to  the  Finished  Product.    By  J.  A. 

HUNTER. 

"  The  best  book  of  its  size  and  price  that  we  have  ever  seen 
upon  the  subject  of  wool  and  its  manufacture." — American 
Wool  and  Cotton  Reporter,  N.  Y. 

Coal.    Its  Origin,  Method  of  Working,  and  Preparation  for  the 

Market.       By    FRANCIS    H.    WILSON,  M.Inst.M.E.,    Editor    of 

Mining     Engineering ;     Lecturer     on  Mining     at     the     Leigh 
Technical  School. 

Tobacco.  From  Grower  to  Smoker.  By  A.  E.  TANNER,  Chemical 
Officer  in  the  Customs  and  Excise  Department. 

Fruit.  130  pp.,  cloth,  $1.00.  By  LUIGI  CASARTELLI.  This  book 
will  appeal  to  a  wide  circle  of  readers,  as  it  touches  on  the  popular 
side  of  a  popular  industry.  Full  information  concerning  the  fruits 
in  common  usage  is  given  in  a  pleasant  and  chatty  manner. 


PITMAN'S  TRADE    MANUALS. 

Price,  each  in  cloth,  $1.00,  post  paid. 

Various  manuals  have  been  produced  at  different  times  dealing 
with  professional  work,  but  the  general  trader  has  been  utterly 
ignored  and  neglected.  In  these  days,  when  commerce  has 
become  more  than  ever  dependent  upon  proper  organization,  it 
:_•  imperatively  necessary  that  no  branch  of  trade  should  be  left 
out  of  consideration,  and  that  every  opportunity  should  be 
afforded  to  the  zealous  business  man  or  his  assistant  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  methods  which  have  led  the  leaders  on  to 
success.  The  new  volumes  have  been  prepared  with  the  idea 
of  assisting  the  earnest  business  man  who  is  engaged  in  trade  to 
render  himself  more  efficient  than  ever. 

Drapery.  By  RICHARD  BEVNON.  The  advice  given  in  these  pages 
proceeds  from  an  author  who  is  well  known  in  the  trade,  and 
who  has  devoted  his  life  to  it.  He  has  traversed  the  whole 
field  of  Drapery  in  a  thoroughly  practical  fashion,  and  even 
where  his  opinions  may  be  open  to  criticism,  he  has  so  dealt 
with  his  subject  that  the  reader  must  acknowledge  the  respect 
which  is  due  to  one  who  has  himself  attained  a  high  position  in 
his  particular  line. 

Grocery.  By  W.  F.  TUPMAN.  The  author  of  this  volume  is  well 
known  on  account  of  the  success  which  he  gained  by  winning 
the  first  prize  in  the  Grocers'  Competitive  Examination, 
and  he  has  followed  up  that  success  by  a  course  of  lectures,  the 
substance  of  whxh  is  reproduced  in  this  practical  volume. 

26 


Grocery  Business  Organisation  and  Management.  Demy  8vu, 
164  pp.,  $2.00.  By  C.  L.  T.  BEECHING,  Secretary  and  Fellow  of 
the  Institute  of  Certificated  Grocers.  With  Chapters  on  Buying 
a  Business,  Grocers'  Office  Work  and  Book-keeping,  and  a  Model 
Set  of  Grocers'  Accounts.  By  J.  ARTHUR  SMART,  of  the  firm  of 
Alfred  Smart,  Valuer  and  Accountant;  Fellow  of  the  Institute 
of  Certificated  Grocers,  London. 

Drapery  Business  Organisation,  Management,  and  Accounts.  Demy 
8vo,  302  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $2.00.  By  J.  ERNEST  BAYLEY.  In  this 
work,  the  first  serious  attempt  has  been  made  to  gather  together 
a  fund  of  information  on  all  subjects  connected  with  the  retail 
drapery  trade,  such  as  is  likely  to  be  of  assistance  both  to  those 
who  are  already  engaged  therein,  or  who  aspire  at  some  future 
time  to  set  up  for  themselves. 


LANGUAGES. 

SPANISH. 

Pitman's  Practical  Spanish  Grammar  and  Conversation  for  Self- 
Instruction.  112  pp.,  40c.  ;  cloth,  60c.  With  copious  Vocabulary 
and  IMITATED  Pronunciations.  By  the  aid  of  this  book,  the 
student  is  enabled  to  rapidly  acquire  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the 
Spanish  language. 

"  This  honored  house  has  a  right  to  style  itself  '  rapid,'  for 
it  not  only  is  at  the  front  with  rapid  stenography  and  with  the 
best  rapid  methods  of  learning  French  and  Spanish,  but  it  is 
rapid  in  getting  into  the  field  with  new  books  for  new  issues. 
We  would  advise  well-educated  young  men  to  master  Spanish. 
It  is  not  a  difficult  language,  and  Pitman's  Practical  Spanish 
Grammar  makes  it  doubly  easy." — Journal  of  Education 
(Boston). 

Pitman's  Commercial  Spanish  Grammar.  166  pp.,  cloth,  $1.00. 
In  this  book,  Spanish  grammar  is  taught  on  normal  lines,  and 
all  grammatical  points  are  illustrated  by  sentences  in  commercial 
Spanish.  The  exercises  are  written  with  a  view  to  enabling  the 
student  to  read  and  write  business  letters  in  Spanish,  and  to 
understand  them  without  difficulty.  Accidence  and  Syntax  have 
been,  as  far  as  possible,  blended,  so  that  the  student  may  at  once 
make  use  of  the  grammatical  forms  he  has  learnt.  The  book 
concludes  with  a  number  of  extracts  for  commercial  reading. 

Easy  Spanish  Conversational  Sentences.  23  pp.,  20c.  With  Literal 
Interlinear  Translation  and  Imitated  Pronunciation. 

Advanced  Spanish  Conversational  Exercises.    32  pp.,  20c. 

Spanish  Business  Letters.  32  pp.,  20c.  With  Vocabulary  and 
copious  notes  in  English. 

Spanish  Business  Letters.  (Second  Series)  By  E.  MCCONNELL. 
48  pp.,  25c. 

27 


Spanish  Commercial  Phrases.  32  pp.,  25c.  With  Abbreviations 
and  Translations. 

Spanish  Business  Interviews.  96  pp.,  40c. ;  cloth,  50c.  With 
Correspondence,  etc.,  each  forming  a  complete  Commercial 
Transaction,  including  Technical  Terms  and  Idiomatic 
Expressions,  accompanied  by  a  copious  Vocabulary. 

Spanish  Tourists'  Vade  Mecum.  Cloth,  40c.  Every-day  Phrases. 
With  Vocabularies,  Tables,  etc.,  and  the  exact  pronunciation  of 
every  word. 

Dictionary  of  Commercial  Correspondence  in  French,  German, 
Spanish,  and  Italian.  500  pp.,  cloth,  $2.00.  Containing  the 
most  common  and  ordinary  terms  and  phrases  of  a  commercial 
nature. 

Pitman's  Commercial  Correspondence  in  Spanish.  267  pp.,  cloth, 
gilt,  $1.00.  The  increasing  importance  of  a  study  of  the  Spanish 
language  has  induced  the  Publishers  to  issue  an  edition  of  their 
successful  work,  "  Commercial  Correspondence "  (already  pub- 
lished in  English,  French,  and  German)  in  that  language.  The 
work  gives  all  the  letters  contained  in  the  other  editions,  and 
there  is,  in  addition,  a  full  account  of  the  Spanish  Weights  and 
Measures  and  the  Spanish  Coinage. 

Pitman's  Readings  in  Commercial  Spanish.  80  pp.,  cloth,  50c. 
With  Notes  and  Translations  in  English. 


FRENCH. 

Pitman's  Complete  French  Course.  210  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  60c.  For 
Self-Instruction.  Part  I,  consisting  of  Grammar  to  the  end  of 
the  Regular  Verbs,  Conversational  Phrases  and  Sentences,  Short 
Stories,  and  French-English  and  English-French  Vocabularies. 
Part  II,  Grammar,  including  the  Irregular  Verbs,  Conversational 
Phrases  and  Sentences,  Selections  of  French  Prose,  and  French- 
English  and  English-French  Vocabularies. 

Pitman's  Commercial  French  Grammar.  166  pp.,  cloth,  $1.00. 
In  this  book,  French  grammar  is  taught  on  normal  lines,  with 
the  addition  that  all  grammatical  points  are  illustrated  by 
sentences  in  commercial  French.  The  exercises  are  written  with 
a  view  to  enabling  the  student  to  read  and  write  business  letters 
in  French,  and  to  understand  without  difficulty  commercial  and 
financial  articles  in  French  books  and  newspapers.  It  is  thought 
that  the  method  here  adopted  will  help  him  to  acquire  rapidly 
a  large  French  commercial  vocabulary  and  phrase-list. 

Pitman's  French  Course.  Part  I.  96  pp.,  20c. ;  cloth,  25c. ; 
Grammar  to  end  of  the  Regular  Verbs  ;  with  exercises. 

Pitman's  French  Course.    Part  H    Cloth,  25c. 
Key  to  Part  I,  French  Course.    Cloth,  50c. 
Key  to  Part  n,  French  Course.    Cloth,  50c. 
28 


Pitman's  Practical  French  Grammar.  128  pp.,  paper  boards,  40c. ; 
cloth,  50c.  And  Conversation  for  Self-Instruction,  with  Copious 
Vocabulary  and  Imitated  Pronunciation.  The  Latest  and  Best 
Method  for  Learning  French  without  a  Master. 

A  Child's  First  Steps  in  French.  64  pp.,  cloth,  25c.  An  elementary 
French  reader  with  vocabulary. 

Pitman's  Chart  of  the  French  Regular  Verbs.  lOc.  Terminations 
of  the  Four  Conjugations  and  a  Full  Exhibition  of  the  Auxiliaries. 

Pitman's  French  Commercial  Reader.  208  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  85c. 
Deals  in  an  interesting  manner  with  the  leading  commercial  and 
National  Institutions  of  France.  The  reading  matter  is  most 
carefully  selected,  and  while  the  student  of  French  is  improving 
his  mastery  of  the  language,  he  is  at  the  same  time  getting  a 
good  insight  into  French  commercial  methods. 

English-French  and  French-English  Dictionary  of  Business  Words 
and  Terms.  With  a  List  of  Abbreviations  in  General  Use.  Vest- 
Pocket  Edition,  size  2i  in.  x  6£  in.,  cloth,  640  pp.,  $1.00.  One 
of  the  greatest  difficulties  students  of  a  foreign  language 
encounter  is  the  mastery  of  its  purely  commercial  phraseology. 
Commercial  terms  are  not  a  strong  feature  of  the  ordinary 
French-English  dictionary  in  general  use,  while  in  many  they 
are  conspicuously  meagre  ;  therefore  the  present  work,  which 
furnishes  not  only  the  words  usually  employed  in  commercial 
correspondence,  but  a  great  many  commercial  terms  that  are 
not  given  in  the  ordinary  dictionaries. 

French  Translation  and  Composition.    187  pp.,  cloth,  85. . 

Tourist's  Vade  Mecum  of  French  Colloquial  Conversation.  91  pp., 
cloth,  40c.  A  careful  selection  of  every-day  Phrases  in  constant 
use,  with  Vocabularies,  Tables,  and  the  Exact  Pronunciation  of 
every  Word.  An  Easy  Method  of  acquiring  a  knowledge  of 
French  sufficient  for  all  purposes  for  Tourists  or  Business  Men. 

Commercial  Correspondence  in  French.  240  pp.,  cloth,  85c.  Gives 
all  the  letters  of  the  "  Commercial  Correspondence  "  translated 
into  French,  and  also  a  chapter  on  French  Commercial  Corre- 
spondence ;  a  List  of  French  Commercial  Abbreviations  ;  French 
coinage,  weights,  measures,  etc.  ;  together  with  a  number  of 
reduced  facsimiles  of  actual  French  business  forms  and  documents. 
Notes  are  added  to  each  letter. 

French  Business  Letters.  31  pp.,  20c.  Being  a  Practical  Handbook 
of  Commercial  Correspondence  in  the  French  language,  with 
copious  notes  in  English. 

French  Business  Letters  (Second  Series).    48  pp.,  26c. 
Easy  French  Conversational  Sentences.    32  pp.,  20c. 

French  Business  Interviews.  104  pp.,  40c. ;  cloth,  50c.  With 
Correspondence,  Invoices,  etc.,  each  forming  a  complete  Com- 
mercial Transaction,  including  Technical  Terms  and  Idiomatic 
Expressions,  with  copious  vocabulary  and  notes  in  English. 

29 


French  Commercial  Phrases  and  Abbreviations,  with  Translations. 
30  PP.,  20c. 

French  Phrases  for  Advanced  Students.    97  pp.,  50c. 

Madge's  Letters.    32  pp.,  20c.     Introducing  Idiomatic  Expressions, 
French  and  English. 

Advanced  French  Conversational  Exercises.    32  pp.,  20c. 

Les  Bourgeois  Gentilhomme.    40c.  ;  cloth,  50c.    Moliere's  Comedy 
in  French,  fully  annotated. 

Dictionary   of   Commercial   Correspondence  in  French,   German, 
Spanish,  and  Italian.    500  pp.,  cloth,  $2.00. 

Pitman's  International  Mercantile  Letters.   English-French.   Cloth, 
gilt,  85c. 

Pitman's  Readings  in  Commercial  French.     80  pp.,  cloth,  50c. 
With  Notes  and  Translations  in  English. 


GERMAN. 

Pitman's  Practical  German  Grammar.  112  pp.,  40c. ;  cloth,  50c. 
And  Conversation  for  Self-Instruction,  with  copious  Vocabulary 
and  Imitated  Pronunciation. 

Pitman's  Commercial  German  Grammar.  182  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  $1.00. 
In  this  book,  German  grammar  is  taught  on  normal  lines,  with 
the  addition  that  all  grammatical  points  are  illustrated  by 
sentences  in  commercial  German.  The  exercises  are  written 
with  a  view  to  enabling  the  student  to  read  and  write  business 
letters  in  German,  and  to  understand  without  difficulty  com- 
mercial and  financial  articles  in  German  books  and  newspapers. 
It  is  thought  that  the  method  here  adopted  will  help  him  to 
acquire  rapidly  a  large  German  commercial  vocabulary  and 
phrase-list.  Accidence  and  Syntax  have  been,  as  far  as  possible, 
blended,  so  that  the  student  may  at  once  make  use  of  the 
grammatical  forms  he  has  learnt. 

Pitman's  German  Course.  Part  I.    96  pp.,  20c. ;  limp  cloth,  25c. 
Key  to  Pitman's  German  Course.    Part  I.    50< . 

Pitman's  German  Commercial  Reader.  208  pp.,  cloth,  gilt,  85c. 
Is  prepared  on  similar  lines  to  the  French  Commercial  Reader. 
It  furnishes  a  practical  introduction  to  German  commercial 
institutions  and  transactions,  with  questions  and  exercises  which 
render  it  well  suited  for  use  in  schools.  Students  are  afforded 
the  fullest  help  possible  from  plates,  illustrations,  maps,  and 
facsimiles  of  German  commercial  documents. 

Commercial  Correspondence  in  German.  240  pp.,  cloth,  85c. 
Gives  all  the  letters  of  the  "  Commercial  Correspondence " 
translated  into  German,  with  useful  notes  at  the  foot  of  each 
letter.  It  also  contains  a  chapter  on  German  Commercial 
Correspondence,  with  a  List  of  German  Business  Abbreviations. 

30 


German  Business  Interviews.  Series  1  and  2,  each  100  pp.,  each 
40c.  ;  cloth,  50c.  With  Correspondence,  Invoices,  etc.,  each 
forming  a  complete  Commercial  Transaction. 

English-German  Dictionary  of  Business  Words  and  Terms.  Vest- 
Pocket  Edition.  Thumb  Index.  439  pp.,  $1.00. 

Elementary  German  Commercial  Correspondence.  143  pp.,  cloth, 
75c.  By  LEWIS  MARSH,  B.A. 

Tourist's  Vade  Mecum  of  German  Colloquial  Conversation.  64  pp., 
cloth,  40c. 

German  Commercial  Phrases  and  Abbreviations,  with  Translations. 
30  pp.,  20c. 

German  Business  Letters.  PART  I.]  30  pp.,  20c.  A  Practical 
Handbook  of  Commercial  Correspondence  in  the  German 
Language,  with  Letters  in  German  Script  characters. 

German  Business  Letters  (Second  Series).    48  pp.,  25c. 
Easy  German  Conversational  Sentences.    32  pp.,  20c. 

Advanced  German  Conversational  Exercises,  with  Translations. 
32  pp.,  20c. 

Dictionary  of  Commercial  Correspondence  in  French,  German, 
Spanish,  and  Italian.  500  pp.,  cloth,  $2.00.  Containing  the 
most  common  terms  and  phrases  of  a  commercial  nature. 

Pitman's  International  Mercantile  Letters.  English-German.  Cloth, 
gilt,  85c. 

Pitman's  Readings  in  Commercial  German.  80  pp.,  cloth,  50c. 
With  Notes  and  Translations  in  English. 


PORTUGUESE. 

A  New  Dictionary  of  the  Portuguese  and  English  Languages. 

Enriched  by  a  great  number  of  technical  terms  used  in  commerce, 
industry,  arts  and  sciences,  and  including  a  great  variety  of 
expressions  from  the  language  of  daily  life,  based  on  a  MS.  of 
JULIUS  CORNET.  By  H.  MICHAELIS.  Second  Edition.  In  two 
vols.,  cloth,  gilt.  Portuguese-English  and  English-Portuguese. 
$4.25  each.  Each  volume  sold  separately. 

Abridged  Dictionary  of  the  Portuguese  and  English  Languages. 

Including  Technical  Expressions  of  Commerce  and  Industry,  of 
Science  and  Arts.  By  H.  MICHAELIS.  In  two  Parts :  I, 
Portuguese-English ;  II,  English-Portuguese.  Both  parts  in 
one  vol.,  $4.50. 

Pitman's  International  Mercantile  Letters.      English-Portuguese. 
Cloth,  gilt,  $1.00. 

31 


ITALIAN. 

Pitman's  Commercial  Italian  Grammar.  116  pp.,  cloth,  $1.00. 
In  this  book,  Italian  grammar  is  taught  on  normal  lines,  with 
the  addition  that  all  grammatical  points  are  illustrated  by 
sentences  in  commercial  Italian.  The  exercises  are  written  with 
a  view  to  enabling  the  student  to  read  and  write  business  letters 
in  Italian,  and  to  understand  without  difficulty  commercial  and 
financial  articles  in  Italian  books  and  newspapers.  It  is  thought 
that  the  method  here  adopted  will  help  him  to  acquire  rapidly  a 
large  Italian  commercial  vocabulary  and  phrase-list.  Accidence 
and  Syntax  have  been,  as  far  as  possible,  blended,  so  that  the 
student  may  at  once  make  use  of  the  grammatical  forms  he  has 
learnt. 

Pitman's  International  Mercantile  Letters.  English-Italian.  Cloth, 
gilt,  85c. 

Pitman's  Italian  Tourist's  Vade  Mecum.  With  Vocabularies, 
Tables,  etc.  96  pp.  Cloth,  40c. 

HUGO'S   SYSTEM. 

t  Spanish  Simplified.  Cloth,  $1.00. 

t  French  Simplified.  Cloth,  $1.00. 

t  German  Simplified.  Cloth,  $1.00. 

t  Italian  Simplified.  Cloth,  $1.00. 

t  Portuguese  Simplified.  Cloth,  $1.00. 


llllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllli 

IMPORTANT  NOTICE. 

|  It  is  necessary  to  caution  teachers  and  H 

m  others  against  purchasing  books  pur-  | 

m  porting  to  represent  the  Isaac  Pitman  i 

=f  System,  as  a  wide  divergence  of  outlines  | 

=  will  be  found  in  such  works,  and  their  = 

=  use  will  result  not  only  in  discouragement  i 

..=  to  the  student,  but  will  also  give  endless  | 

I  trouble  to  the  teacher.  The  only  authori-  i 

H  tative  books  containing  correctly  engraved  f 

==  outlines  in  accordance  with  the  recent  = 

I  CENTENARY  IMPROVEMENTS  M 

=1=  are  issued  by  the  direct,  heirs  of  the  f 

I    Inventor  of  Phonography,  and  bear  the  ^ 

=    imprint  of  Isaac  Pitman  &  Sons,  2  West  H 

45th  Street,  New  York. 


Press  of    Isaac  Pitman  &•  Sons,  Bath,   England 


'U 


HVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


